Invisible Influence
by PygmyCritter
Summary: Isn't it a bit late for Ianto to have an invisible friend? Apparently not. She says she wants to help him, but what does she get in return? R&R please! Thanks!
1. Chapter 1

**Notes: Glad you all, well at least those who did reviews, enjoyed Hatchling. Here's my latest, hope you enjoy this one as well. As always, reviews are more than welcome and any ways to improve I implore you to point out! Thanks and enjoy.**_

* * *

_

Flap, thud, flap, thud, flap... 

"Damn." Ianto groaned. "We've got a flat." he said as he pulled the SUV over to the side of the road. "Sit tight and I'll change it." he told Tosh, who sat in the seat next to him trying to decipher some writing on a box they'd been sent out to pick up.

"Mmhmm." Tosh mumbled, paying no attention at all.

Ianto rolled his eyes and opened the door and got out. Sure enough, the driver side rear tire had gone flat. He could make out the heads of a couple of nails that were the cause of his troubles.

He took off his impecibly tailored jacket and tossed it in his seat, Tosh still typing away as she tried to translate the mysterious little box. Rolling up his sleeves, he fished out the spare, tire iron and jack and set to work.

The lugnuts were being particularly stubborn, forcing him to stand on the tire iron to break a few free. Of course that's when the rain would set in quickly just then and quickly soak him to the bone. Not only was he having to stand out in the pouring rain to change the tire, he was going to have to clean up the seats after having done so to boot. Wonderful, just wonderful. He'd have to remember to thank Jack for being the one to run Tosh out.

"Ah, damn it." he grumbled as his shoe slipped off the iron and he ended up banging his knee into the side of the vehicle, tearing his pant leg.

"Just like them, isn't it?" a soft voice said as he bent down to pick up the tire iron. "Sending you out as their personal errand boy, and then the little computer geek sitting safe and dry in the car while you do the grunt work." the voice added with a tisking noise. "And for you to ruin your nice trousers. What a shame."

He spun around but saw no one. Assuming he'd just been hearing things, he went back to what he was doing, only a little more quickly this time.

"They don't appreciate all you do for them, do they, Ianto?" the voice asked sympathetically.

"Tosh, did you say something?" Ianto asked as he opened the door and stuck his head in.

"Hmm?" Tosh said, slowly turning away from her laptop. "No, why?"

"No reason." he answered, "Guess I'm just hearing things."

"Don't let anyone hear you say that." Tosh joked. "The men in little white coats will come after you."

"If they're anything like our resident man in his little white coat, that's a truly frightening thought." he chuckled as he shut the door and finished his task.

"Poor Ianto." he heard the voice whisper as he climbed back into the SUV. Ignoring it, he did up his seatbelt and took off, eager for a nice cup of tea. Too bad he'd have to make it himself more than likely.

* * *

"So you finally decided to rejoin us?" Jack said as he watched two of his team enter the hub. 

"Is it raining out?" Gwen asked as she looked at the two, Tosh having gotten almost as wet as Ianto as they were coming back in, the rain falling even heavier than before.

"No, Gwen." Ianto said sarcastically. "We decided to run under the fountain for a bit before coming in, just to throw you off." he added as he went off to put the kettle on.

"What's with him?" Gwen asked, completely taken aback.

"I don't know." Tosh answered as she put her laptop on her desk. "I've had no luck so far with this writing." she said as she took a towel that Jack was handing her.

"You'll get it, I don't doubt it at all." Jack said as he headed off towards the kitchen.

"Ask Ianto to make me a cup while you're up there!" Owen called from his station.

"Ianto?" Jack asked as he entered the kitchen. "Everything all right?"

"Just fine, why wouldn't it be?" Ianto answered as he filled five cups. "I assume you all want some while I'm about it." he said.

"Yeah, I know Owen did at least." Jack answered as he observed the other man. "You sure you're fine?" he asked again. "You're not usually so snarky."

"I've had a long day, it's put me in a rather black mood, I'm allowed one of those now and again aren't I?" Ianto asked as he placed four cups on a tray and handed it to Jack. "I assume you can manage to take these down."

"Sure." Jack said as he took the tray, not wanting to push the obviously moody Welshman too much.

"They could have at least offered to make you a cup of tea." that familiar voice said, making Ianto jump. "But as usual, it was you who did for others. It's really not fair."

He turned around to where Jack had been standing and found a woman, medium in height and weight, long black hair and gray eyes smiling fondly at him.

"You." he said. "You're the one I heard when I was changing the tire."

"You remember me!" the woman said happily. "It's nice to be remembered."

"Who are you?" he asked, "How did you get in here?"

"My name is Faith." she answered as she moved to stand directly in front of him. "I came in with you." she added.

"Nobody saw you." he said, "They would have."

"No, I can pick and choose who can see, hear and touch me." she explained with another smile. "You should be quite pleased with yourself. I'm quite picky. I don't do this for just anyone."

"Oh, good for me." Ianto said. "I've been chosen to sit here and have a conversation with an invisible stalker."

"Stalker is quite a harsh word." Faith said, pouting a bit. "I prefer admirer."

"Admirer of what?" Ianto asked as he looked out to see if anyone could see him chatting with himself.

"Of you, silly." Faith laughed.

"What do you want?" he asked as he moved away from her.

"I want to help you, Ianto Jones." Faith answered. "You feel lost and alone and you need my help."

"I've gone mad." Ianto said as he ran his hands through his hair.

"Don't do that, you're hair is all messed up now." Faith complained as she walked over to him and fixed his hair. "That's better." she smiled. "You're not mad, by the way."

"I'm sitting here talking to a woman who earlier was a disembodied voice, now she's telling me that she's here to help me because she thinks I'm pathetic." Ianto said, pointing out how one might think him to be mad. "What do you call it?"

"Lucky." Faith said as she crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back against the counter. "You need help, and I'm here."

"What are you, my fairy godmother?" he scoffed.

"Of course not." Faith said sounding rather offended at the idea. "I'm simply here to help you. And in return, you help me."

"How?" Ianto asked.

"Everytime you do something that makes you feel better about yourself and whats going on around you, I get a certain, high from that." she explained.

"So you're like a good vibe vampire?" he asked, laughing at the thought.

"You could put it that way." Faith answered, the smile she gave leaving Ianto feeling cold all over.


	2. Chapter 2

Ianto just stared at Faith, having trouble believing what she said.

"Didn't your mother tell you that it's rude to stare?" she asked. "I thought all Earth mothers did that kind of thing."

"So you're not from Earth?" Ianto asked, feeling stupid the minute the words were uttered.

"Let's see, I can pick and choose who sees me, hears me and can make any sort of contact with me, and I first came to you as a disembodied voice." Faith said as she stared at him like he was an idiot. "What do you think?" she asked, speaking slowly as if to a moronic child.

"I know, stupid question." Ianto said as he looked to make sure none of the others were coming. "It's just not everyday someone has a do-gooder alien come and offer to help with any perceived problems."

"Perceived?" Faith laughed. "Ianto, none of your problems are "perceived" ones, sweetheart." she added as she shook her head.

"Well, you must have gotten something wrong." Ianto said as he started tidying up. "I'm perfectly happy the way I am, with the way things are."

"You're happy that everyone here sees you as their servant, that you're nothing more than a means for a good cup of tea?" Faith asked as she moved to his side. "That although you share a bed once in a while, you know nothing of your fearless leader, Captain Jack?" she pressed. "That they leave you out, never ask about anything you might have going on outside of this depressing place." she put a hand on his shoulder. "You're happy with the fact that they killed the woman you loved, the one you did so much to keep alive? Poor Lisa." she whispered.

"How do you know about any of this?" Ianto asked, moving quickly away from Faith.

"Shh, darling, you don't want to attract any attention." Faith said as she held a slender finger to her lips. "I know all about every one of you." she added. "Owen, the cynical pub-dweller, who takes home nameless and countless women. Tosh, who is so attached to her gadgets because she knows they can't reject her, can't turn on her." she cocked her head to one side and sighed. "I do feel a bit sorry for her."

"So you know about Tosh and Owen..." Ianto began.

"Gwen, from what I've seen so far, the office slut. Having had a fling with a co-worker, she still lusts after your boss, all the while going home to that charming boyfriend of her's." Faith shook her head. "And what she did to him besides having the fling...not very nice."

"How do you know all this?" Ianto asked.

"I've been watching you all." Faith answered without hesitation.

"So, you're an "admirer" of us all?" he asked.

"No, them I stalked." Faith said with a smile. "You I've come admire. You need me."

"Go away." Ianto hissed. "I don't know who you are or what you are, where you came from, but just go away."

"I just wanted another cup of tea." Tosh said as she walked into the kitchen. "You don't look so good, if you don't mind my saying."

"Just been a long day." Ianto muttered, wondering how much Tosh had heard.

"It's pretty slow today." she said with a smile. "Maybe Jack could spare you and you could just have the day to yourself?"

"Wonderful idea!" Faith clapped. "Take the day, Ianto."

"Shut up." he whispered.

"I'm sorry, it was just a thought." Tosh said, looking rather hurt and confused.

"No, not you." Ianto said.

"I'm the only one here." Tosh pointed out.

"Right." he mumbled.

"You're confusing the poor woman." Faith said. "Just ask your precious Jack and take the rest of the day." she urged.

"I will not take the rest of the day." he ground out.

"That's fine, if you don't want to." Tosh said as she picked up her cup. "Just a thought."

"You should be more careful." Faith giggled. "You're starting to look mad."

"Sorry, Tosh." Ianto said with a half smile as the woman left the room, trying to ignore Faith's giggles. "To many cleaning products perhaps." he added with a forced laugh.

"It's all right." Tosh said with a warm smile. "Just think about taking the day though." she added as she left.

"Don't do that!" he ordered as soon as Tosh was out of earshot. "I don't need them locking me away."

"If I keep doing it then perhaps they'll force you to take the rest of the day." Faith said hopefully.

"I don't need your help." he told her "All of what you said..."

"Was the truth, you just don't want to admit it." Faith finished, earning herself a glare from Ianto.

"I have work to do." he said as he stalked off.

"Need to get their lunch orders?" Faith asked as she followed. "Perhaps empty their trash bins?" she added. "Perhaps your Weevil pet needs to be watered."

"How did you know about the Weevil?" he whispered as he walked along, making sure no one was paying attention to him.

"I told you I knew all about all of you." she answered. "Jack seems to think about Janet an awful lot. I'd be careful if I were you." she said as she stopped at Tosh's work station, looking with amusement at the keyboard. "Which should I push?" she asked herself.

"Faith!" Ianto hissed as he grabbed her wrist. "Don't touch anything."

"Spoilsport." she pouted. "So what work did you need to do?" she asked as she followed behind him, laughing as he tried to ignore her. "It won't work." she teased in a singsong voice.

"Ianto!" Jack called, causing the man to stop dead in his tracks, Faith running into his back and falling onto the floor.

"Yes?" Ianto asked with a laugh, which drew a concerned look from Jack as he approached.

"When you and Tosh went to get that box, did you notice anyone around?" he asked.

"No." Ianto answered as he thought back. "Can't Tosh trace the number of the person who phoned us?"

"She tried, no luck as of yet." Jack answered. "She did find a few weak traces of some sort of alien energy around a very small opening on the box." he said.

"But she hasn't figured out the writing yet?" Ianto asked.

"Of course not." Faith said with a smug smile as she dusted herself off. "She won't either."

"You've got to be kidding me." Ianto groaned.

"Excuse me?" Jack asked, he really was starting to wonder about him now.

"If you're thinking of having the tech wiz try to pick up on my energy here, you're out of luck." Faith said as she seemingly read Ianto's mind. "Once in human form I'm essentially untracable." she smiled. "Good thought though. You are more than just a pretty face. If only they'd realize that."

"Shut up." Ianto whispered when he thought Jack was talking to Tosh.

"I don't care what you say." Jack said in a low voice when Tosh had walked off. "Something is up with you." he added. "Take the day." he said. "It's slow and Tosh is still working on that box."

"Haha!" Faith cried triumphantly.

"Really, Jack, I'm fine." Ianto said.

"No, you look like hell." Jack said. "And you're starting to freak us out a little. Go home, rest. Come back tomorrow." he added. "We need you sharp so you can make us that famous Ianto tea." he patted the other man on the shoulder and strode off.

"So we can go back to your place, and we can talk." Faith said happily.

"Go away." Ianto said as he grabbed his coat and left, without Faith dogging his every step.

He got back to his flat and threw his keys on a small table and hung his coat up in his closet. Looking at the clock, he saw it was lunch time so he went to the kitchen to make himself something.

"Very neat and tidy." that annoyingly familiar voice said. "Just as I pictured it."

"Why are you doing this?" Ianto asked as he rubbed his head where he'd slammed it when he jumped at the sound of a voice, her voice, in his empty flat.

"Do I really need to explain this all over again?" Faith asked as she took out a bag of frozen peas and held it to the large, fresh bump on his head.

Ianto took the peas and just sank down into a chair at the small dining room set, his head resting on the table.

"God help me." he muttered.

**Notes: I've got so many ideas running through my head with this one. Just don't know where I'll go with it... Hope you all enjoy!!**


	3. Chapter 3

"You keep this up and I'm going to feel unwelcome." Faith said as she sat down across from Ianto.

"Do you mean it?" Ianto asked as he tossed the bag of peas onto the table and stood up. "So a few more insults and pleas to god and you might leave me in peace?"

"You wouldn't be in peace." Faith answered. "And no, I won't leave you." she added.

"Why not?" Ianto asked as he moved to stand in front of her and stared down. "Why can't you find someone else to give your "help" to?"

"Because, I messed something up and I'm stuck with you." Faith muttered as she covered her mouth with her hand and turned her head.

"What was that?" Ianto asked.

"Something went wrong and I'm stuck with you." Faith answered.

"What something?" Ianto pressed.

"I don't know what, if I knew I'd fix it." Faith snapped. "But since we're stuck with eachother, I'll help you." she said suddenly chipper.

"I don't need help." he repeated for what seemed to be the hundreth time since he'd met her.

"You do." she insisted. "You feel insignificant, unwanted at times." she stood up. "There are times you want to do something to show you exsist, that you matter."

"You're way off." he said as he moved away.

"No, I'm not." she said as she followed him. "Sometimes you want to figure out a way to not go to work, yet be there just to see how they get on without you." she moved to block his way. "There are times you want to put things in their tea, coffee, lunches." she smiled. "But you always stop yourself."

"Go away!" he yelled, shoving his way past her. He didn't want to admit that any of what she said was true, but he knew that it was.

"They always assume you'll be there, any time of day or night, to help." Faith pressed. "To clean up their messes, without one word of thanks." she spoke softly as she followed him again. "They never remember your birthday, leave you out of their little group activities."

"Stay away." he groaned as he went to his bedroom and slammed the door.

Faith stayed back, watching him go, knowing she hit the nail on the head. She would let him sit for a while on his own, not wanting to push too far too fast.

* * *

Ianto finally came out of his room hours later to find Faith asleep on his sofa. Very quietly he snuck to the door, opened it and left. He needed time alone, time to think. Time to eat, he thought as his stomach growled. 

He walked along, always quite surprised at how quiet Cardiff seemed to get at night. Thankful for it at the moment. He looked around and watched the few people who were out at the time, a group of teenagers laughing and smoking, a few couples here and there, heading either home or off on a date.

"What are you thinking?" that all to familiar voice chirped in his ear.

"How to kill you." Ianto answered.

"No you're not." Faith laughed. "And such a mean thing to say."

"You want me to do things to them." he said. "To what, get some kind of revenge?"

"Revenge is the best." she answered matter-of-factly. "Keeps me going longer."

"Going longer?" he asked as he looked at her.

"I feed off emotions." she shrugged. "I kind of explained that earlier."

"So you need these emotions in order to survive?" he went on, oblivious to the fact he was drawing attention.

"Not really to survive." Faith answered. "Just to get a sort of, I don't know, boost I guess you'd call it."

"Can't you just not get your boost?" Ianto wondered out loud.

"No." she answered quickly. "How can I explain?" she asked herself as the group of teenagers approached.

"Hey, mate, got the time?" one asked as they crossed the street and came to stand in front of Ianto, unaware of Faith's pressence.

"Yeah, half past ten." Ianto answered. "Had no idea it was that late." he muttered.

"You did hide in your room for quite a while." Faith said.

"Hid because of you." he replied, getting another look from the teens.

"What was that?" the teen asked.

"Nothing." Ianto answered.

"Oh, I was wondering also if you could give me directions..." the teen continued.

Faith stood next to Ianto bored as he gave directions. She started looking around and noticed one of the other teens moving to Ianto's back and sticking his hand in his coat pocket and fishing out his wallet.

"You rotten little prat!" she hissed, making herself visible to the teen whose eyes suddenly grew.

"I'm sorry." he said as he stumbled back.

"Oh you will be." she said as she grabbed a hold of his crotch and squeezed until he cried.

"Please let go!" he whimpered.

"Faith, stop!" Ianto said as he pulled the woman away and picked up his wallet.

"He tried to nick your wallet." she said as she glared at the boy, his friends staring at him and Ianto as they backed away.

"I know, but you got it back for me, so leave it." he whispered as he took her by the arm and moved her along.

"If I see you again..." she warned the crying boy. "Shouldn't you try to find a policeman?" she asked as they turned the corner.

"No, I think you've done enough." he replied.

"You're far too nice at times, you know." Faith said as she began to pout a bit. "You should have either let me finish the little bugger off or gotten a cop."

"You had the boy in tears and pleading." Ianto said. "What more did you want to do?"

"I don't think you want me to answer that." she responded with an impish smile. "By the way, people are looking at you." she warned as she pointed to an old woman walking her dog. "Soon the men in white coats with butterfly nets will come for you." She thought a moment and added. "Although, that's a silly saying, they would have to be very large nets, or very small people."

"You're insane." Ianto said as though he'd just come to that decision. "Absolutely insane."

"That's what they said before." Faith said.

"Who is they?" Ianto asked.

"Oh, no one." she answered with a big smile. "Anyway, what were your plans after you tried to ditch me?" she asked.

"Food." he answered.

"Oh good idea, I'm starved." she agreed as she linked her arm in his.

"Did you figure out the best way to explain it?" he asked as he rolled his eyes.

"What?" Faith was confused for a moment. "Oh that...yes."

"And..." he prompted.

"Oh, you want to know of course." she laughed. "When I look like this, which I'm stuck doing for goodness knows how long, I live like a human, eat drink, sleep all that mundane stuff." she answered. "But once in a while, a nice emotion is nice."

"Any emotion or just vengence?" he asked as they waited to cross the street.

"Vengence is just the most satisfying." she explained. "But all emotions give that little high. Greed, jealousy, fear, joy, lust." she smiled. "Lust is a pretty enjoyable one as well." she added with a wink.

"Good to know." he answered, blushing only slightly as they began to walk again.

"Oh, no need to blush." she teased. "I know that you find me attractive, annoying though you might find me."

"Perhaps I do find you slightly attractive, _physically _speaking." he answered as they walked by a man on his mobile, trying to ignore the man's winking and smiling. "Can't you make it so others can see you?" he asked.

"Oh, that takes so much of the fun from it." she answered. "It's quite amusing to see people look at you as though you've just hatched from an egg."

"I'm glad I can be a source of amusement." he muttered, shooting her a look. "So, if you're fine in human form, why can't you just leave it at that?" he asked, trying to get back to the important subject.

"I can't help it." she answered. "If I don't get a fix of some sort of emotion off people, I feel absolutely horrible. I get weak, sweaty, nauseous." she shuddered, "It's not pretty."

"So, you're like an addict?" he asked as he ducked down an alley. "And if you don't get those emotions to feed off of, you go through a sort of withdrawl?"

"I guess you could put it that way." she nodded. "Although that doesn't make me sound very good."

"Sounds better than to think you just get a kick out of using people for their emotions, that you can control it." he replied. "Are all your people like you?"

"The few that are left, yes." Faith answered quietly.

"What happened to you?" Ianto asked as he leaned his shoulder against the wall of the building they were standing behind.

"They deemed us parasites and put us in a sort of quarentine, and we just died off one by one." she sighed, tears starting to form. "One of us they'd missed, he came back for us and we headed for the rift, to try to find a safe place."

"Where are they?" Ianto asked, actually starting to feel bad for her, even though he knew better.

"I don't know." she answered with a sniffle. "Only four of us out there, I'm not sure where the others ended up."

"So you came here to be safe." he said.

"Yes, hoping we might find some place that they wouldn't lock us away." she nodded.

"And you singled me out for what reason?" he asked.

"I don't know." Faith answered truthfully. "I honestly don't. I heard a few people talk about Torchwood before, about all you did, the things you had access to." she shrugged. "I thought one of you might be more, I don't know, willing to try to understand. Maybe that you'd be able to help." she looked up and smiled. "And you were by far the best of them at Torchwood."

"If you want any help, you need to stop trying to get me to seek any sort of revenge, Faith." Ianto informed her.

"You'll help me?" she asked.

"If you promise, I'll see what I can do." he answered.

"Ianto, thank you!" Faith said as she threw her arms around his neck. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!!" she said as she kissed his cheek.

"That's enough." Ianto said as he pushed her back an arm's length.

"Right." Faith said. "A few people have looked at you a bit funny already. Now you look as though you're hugging yourself." she laughed.

"That's something you're gonna have to do." he said. "Let other people see you."

"But I don't want to." she said. "I like to have a select few be able to see me." she smiled. "Doesn't it make you feel special to know that you're one of the chosen few?"

"Not really since it makes me look as though I'm a raving lunatic." he answered. "They're going to either think I'm mental or a drunk."

"Or both." Faith said happily. "You humans have so many interesting combinations." she marveled.

"You find drunks and mental people that amazing?" Ianto asked.

"Yes." she answered simply.

"Well you'll be glad to know you fall into one of those two categories." he said as he started to head out of the alley. "Can others see you?" he asked before they hit the sidewalks again.

"Yes, Mr.Boring they can." she answered, ignoring the fact he'd just as good as called her mental. "Take away all my fun, why don't you."

"Seriously the men in white coats exsist." he argued. "And those oversized butterfly nets..."

"Really?" Faith asked. "Perhaps I should disappear again and see if they'll come." she smiled. "That would be a sight. Could you do a madman's laugh as they drag you away in the nets?" She then demonstrated the type of laugh she was thinking of.

"Just keep talking and laughing like that and you can see them first hand." Ianto said as he smiled to a few onlookers.

"Interesting idea..." Faith said as she began to laugh and then sing a little.

"Stop." Ianto hissed as he put a hand over her mouth.

"Don't do that, I don't know where your hands have been." Faith complained as she swatted his hand away.

"Keep it up, they'll be around your bloody neck." he threatened, gaining a laugh from Faith. "Remember, alien girl, I hold your fate in my hands."

"I'll be good." Faith promised as she stopped laughing fast.

**Notes: I'm still debating on which way to take Faith. Good or bad? If anyone has any thoughts, feel free to share! Thanks.**


	4. Chapter 4

Ianto woke the next morning in a much better mood then he'd been in the day before. He was reluctant to admit it, but part of it was because of Faith. Annoying though she may be, she was rather growing on him.

"Good morning." Faith chirped when he came out of his room. "I made you some muffins." she said as she held out a plate of what looked to be black rocks.

"Did you?" he asked hesitantly. "You shouldn't have." he said as he took one. "I didn't know you could cook."

"Neither did I." she answered. "But I found a cookbook on one of your shelves and thought I'd give it a go." she smiled. "Well, what do you think?"

"It's interesting." Ianto said as he forced himself to swallow the piece he'd been able to get his teeth into, only to find the inside was still pure batter. "A liquid center, always a nice surprise."

"You don't like them." she said, her chipper attitude quickly fading. "I did everything the recipe said to." she told him as she held up the book.

"Not everyone is a cook." he said as he tossed the rest of the muffin. "I need you to do something."

"I assume it's not making dinner." she said gloomily.

"No, no." he shook his head. "I need you to just stay here today." he said. "I need to talk to Jack and the others, and it'd be best if I wasn't looking like a raving madman while doing it."

"So, you're going to tell them about me?" Faith asked, worry showing on her face.

"If you want us to help, I have to." Ianto answered as he gulped down some water trying to get rid of the charred muffin bits.

"So, I'm to just stay here in your flat all day?" she asked, not liking the sound of being cooped up at all.

"No, you can go outside, wander around, so long as you promise not to leech." he said as he grabbed his coat. "Promise."

"I promise." Faith said with a nod. "It's going to be hell, but I do keep my promises." she assured him.

"All righty then." he said as his hand rested on the door knob. "I'll see you later, hopefully with some good news. Oh, and when you go out, don't do it invisibly. Let people see you."

"I will." she said, thinking a large part of her fun would be gone that way. "What if they refuse?" Faith asked as Ianto was about to close the door behind him.

"If they do, we'll figure something out, if you can keep your promise." he said with what he hoped was a reassuring smile, and left.

* * *

Faith was bored out of her mind just sitting about Ianto's flat. By eleven she'd compeletely lost interest in anything on television and had decided to clean up a bit. That she figured she could do without burning anything. She hoped. 

_"I can't believe you did that, Gary!"_

_"Like you have any room to talk, you've shagged half of Cardiff!"_

_"You said you'd gotten over that."_

_"Well I lied then didn't I? How does it feel, Simone?"_

Faith could hear a man and a woman arguing next door. She tried to ignore, even though she could feel their emotions oozing as they fought on. She busied herself scrubbing the bathtub, trying to concentrate on anything but them.

"Oh, please shut up." she whispered. The urge to feed off those strong feelings coming from the other side of the wall were gnawing away at her. Her hands began to shake and finally, she threw the sponge down in defeat. She had to get out of their. She had to keep her promise.

_"What are you doing with my football gear, Simone?"_

_"Tossing it all out the window!" _

_"Don't you dare." _

_"What are you going to do to stop me, eh Gary?"_

_"Oh, you've pleanty of stuff that can pay for it if you do, you little slag!"_

_"Don't call me names..."_

_"You've done enough to earn them, might as well use 'em!"_

The last statement was followed by a crashing sound outside and yells from the sidewalk below. Simone had gotten some form of revenge and Gary, Faith was sure, was getting ready to do the same. Quick as a shot, Faith was out the door, covering her ears and heading out the door of the building.

* * *

"Jack, I was wondering if I could talk to you about something." Ianto said as he handed Jack a cup of tea. 

"What is it?" Jack asked as he took the tea.

"Well, see, the thing is..." he began, but was quickly interupted as Gwen came running in.

"We've got a bit of a situation at the docks." she said. "Some weevils are on the loose."

"Let's go then." Jack said as he stood up and grabbed his coat. "Can this wait?" he asked Ianto as he headed for the door.

"Yeah, sure." Ianto said, hoping it could.

"We'll be back as soon as we can." Jack said with a smile as he dashed off after Gwen and Tosh. "You two play nice while we're gone." he called back to Ianto and Owen.

"So, you feeling better?" Owen asked after the others had left. "You looked like hell."

"Aww, thanks." Ianto replied. "I think it was the new soap I'm using, supposed to bring out that sought after haggard look." he added as he headed back to the kitchen.

"Well, sorry I mentioned it." Owen said. "You know what you need?"

"Oh, please tell me." Ianto said.

"A woman and a good stiff drink." Owen replied.

"Just because a drunk woman does wonders for you doesn't mean it does for everyone, you know." Ianto said, rolling his eyes, wishing Jack had taken him with them.

"At least I have a life outside Torchwood." Owen muttered as he sat at his desk.

"So do I, more than you think." Ianto shot back before leaving the room.

* * *

_"We have to be careful, Larry."_

_"You keep sayin' that, Trish, but I know."_

_"Well if you know, then keep your hands out of my blouse!"_

_"Come to work in a burlap sack, maybe I won't be so tempted."_

Faith groaned as she heard a conversation, where she didn't know. It seemed that the longer she went without giving into the desire to feed of all the emotions around her, the more she was able to pick up. She didn't have to be anywhere near the people talking, yet she could hear them.

It was driving her up the wall not to be able to just give in. Why did she have to be in the middle of the city? Why couldn't she have picked someone in the country? Because she was an idiot, that's why.

_"Oh, Percy. If only you were a man instead of just a dog..."_

_"Just keep in mind that I am a dog, lady."_

Faith looked around the park and her eyes came to rest on a woman who appeared to be in her fifties watching her dog running about.

"Somethings should remain unheard." Faith muttered as she quickly walked along. The last thing she wanted was to read people's minds, but she couldn't help it. But she had yet to feed of the loneliness, rage, vengence or any of the other many, many emotions she'd come across so far that day. Of that she was supremely proud.

She spent another hour or two wandering around, trying to find a place where she wasn't picking up bits of tawdry conversation or people's disgusting and disturbing thoughts, but it was no good. Finally she headed back to Ianto's, stopping by the store around the corner and purchasing some ear plugs, anything that might keep sound out.

By the time she got back to the flat, she had a splitting headache and she was wishing she hadn't made that promise, or that she wasn't actually a woman, or alien, of her word.

"Who are you?" a small, old woman asked as Faith was getting ready to let herself into the flat. " I said, who are you?" she repeated. "I saw you come back with the Jones boy last night."

"With all due respect, I don't think it's any of your business." Faith answered, trying her hardest not to crack the woman over the head with her umbrella.

"This is a respectable building." the old woman went on. "There are families that live here."

"That's very nice." Faith answered.

"If you and that Jones boy are shacking up." the woman wagged her finger in Faith's face. "I'm having none of that."

"And as I said, you old bat, it's none of your bloody business who I am." Faith said as she swatted the wrinkled finger out of her face. "Go back into your flat, and mind your own business." she added, quickly losing her temper.

"How dare you!" the old woman gasped. "The nerve."

"You're one to talk." Faith laughed "You come out here, asking me who I am, what I'm doing with that "Jones boy", and you're going to preach to me about manners?" she stepped forward. "I've had a very rough day, my head is killing me and if you don't go back into your flat and leave me the hell alone, I'll beat you with your umbrella."

"Rude, insolent child." the old woman hissed. "No respect for your elders."

"Earn it, old woman, and I'll give it." Faith said as she opened the door, eager to try to get away from the invading voices. "Now, sod off!" she added as she slammed the door behind her, leaving the woman staring in horror.

* * *

Ianto was putting a few things away when his mobile rang, looking down, he recognized the number of the manager of his building. 

"Hello?" he answered.

"Mr.Jones?" the voice on the other end answered. "It's Hank Lewis calling. I'm afraid I've gotten a few complaints about the noise coming from your place."

"Noise?" Ianto asked. "What kind of noise?"

"Music and the tellie." Mr. Lewis answered. "And Mrs. Gadarn has been ringing every ten minutes for the last hour complaining, telling me I need to toss some young woman out of your flat." he said. "I assume if there's a young woman in your flat, you know about it."

"Yes, I know." Ianto sighed. "I'll be 'round in fifteen minutes to clear all this up."

"Please hurry, Mr. Jones." Lewis pleaded. "Mrs. Gadarn is relentless."

"I've got to run home for a bit." Ianto told Tosh as he grabbed his coat.

"Is everything OK?" she asked, looking up from her screen.

"Yeah, I've got a neighbor complaining about noise." he said.

"Did you leave something on this morning?" she asked.

"Must have." he shrugged. "Be back as soon as I can." he said as he headed out the door.

* * *

"There you are, Mr.Jones." Mrs. Gadarn said as she came out of her flat, looking around to make sure Faith wasn't about to pop out of nowhere. "That girl you've staying with you, she's a very bad sort."

"I'm sure there was just some misunderstanding." Ianto said as he took out his key, grimacing as the sound of music and voices blared from the other side of the door. "Sorry if she upset you."

"Upset doesn't begin to describe how I felt." the old woman said. "To have one's safety threatened at one's own front door..." she stopped as Ianto slammed the door to his flat. "Young people." she snorted as she went back in to her own place.

"Faith!" Ianto called as he turned the volume on the television down and turned it off, and did the same with the stereo. "Faith?" he called again. "What's going on?" he asked as he looked around. As he walked into his bedroom, he could see a strange bulge under his mattress and moved around to the side of the bed. "Faith?" he said as he lifted the mattress to find her laying there, her head covered by a pillow, sobbing.

"Ianto?" she said through the pillow.

"What's going on?" he asked as he pulled her from the boxspring and layed the mattress back down.

"The voices." she said as she held her hands over her ears. "All day, the voices."

"What voices?" Ianto asked as he made her sit on the edge of the bed.

"The voices of people all over Cardiff." she said. "Conversations and thoughts." she sighed. "It seems the longer I go without using them, the stronger they get."

"So you turned up the volume on the tv and stereo and buried yourself under my mattress?" he asked, trying not to laugh at the situation seeing as how she was truly distressed.

"And earplugs." she said as she took them out of her ears. "Fat lot of good they did me."

"But, you never did anything?" Ianto asked.

"No, I wanted to." Faith said, drying her face with the back of her hand. "You wouldn't believe some of the things I've heard today. Four extra-marital affairs, three quickies in the loo at the corner pub, two flaming rows..."

"And a partridge in a pear tree." Ianto finished.

"What?" Faith asked completely lost.

"Nothing, just a Christmas song." he explained.

"What does a bird squatting in a tree have to do with the birth of a religious figure?" she asked.

"About as much as the milking maids, leaping lords or swans aswimming." he said shaking his head. "Anyway, you've made it all day, even through all this, without leeching?"

"Yes." she nodded, still trying to figure out what he was talking about with that song. "I've never had this happen before, and I don't know if I can keep doing this, Ianto."

"I know." he said. "But you've done really well, Faith." he added, squeezing her hand.

"Did you talk to them?" she asked, hoping they'd know some way to make this easier for her.

"No, they kept getting called out." he answered.

"And each time they left you behind?" she asked, feeling annoyed, even if he didn't.

"It's a good thing, if I'd been out this last time with Jack and Gwen, I'd not have gotten the call from Mr.Lewis." Ianto said, trying to play it down, even it had bothered him at the time.

"You've the most horrible neighbor you know." she informed him.

"Mrs. Gadarn is the biggest reason Lewis called me." Ianto laughed. "She said you'd threatened her and that you were a "very bad sort", you made quite an impression."

"I'm good at that." Faith said with a smile. "I'd be surprised if I was the first to want to hurt the old bat though."

"No, you're not." Ianto said. "You're just the first to actually threaten to do so."

"You're all too nice." she said as she rubbed her temples.

"How you feeling?" he asked as he watched her.

"Slightly better, but still feel like hell." she answered.

"Come on, I think it's time you introduced yourself to the others." Ianto said as he held out his hand. "Feel up to it?"

"If my choices are going through all this again or meeting those ungrateful little twits, I'll go with the twits." she said as she took his hand and stood up.

"I'd leave out the ungrateful twit part when you ask for help." Ianto suggested.

"That's probably for the best." Faith sighed. "I can be quite sweet and charming when my life and sanity are in the balance."

"Let's see that put to action." he said as he opened the door and followed her out.

* * *

**Notes: Thanks for your suggestions as to what to do with Faith. Glad this story seems to be going over so well. I have a feeling that the fact that it's a Ianto story helps. Hope you enjoy!!**


	5. Chapter 5

"Can I wait until they say whether or not they'll help before I let them see me?" Faith asked as she clung to Ianto's arm.

"Why?" Ianto asked as they headed towards the visitor's center.

"Because I don't want to walk in, have you say, "I've got here an alien.." and have that be as far as you get before they blow me away." she explained, becoming more nervous as the closer they got. "Oh, damn it." she said as she grabbed her head.

"What is it?" Ianto asked as he stopped and looked at her.

"A woman named Debbie has just found her boyfriend with her...best friend if I'm not mistaken." she answered. "This is getting ridiculous." she groaned as she dug her nails into Ianto's arm as she fought the urge to go find Debbie, whoever she was.

"Come on." Ianto said as he led them down into the hub. "You can stay hidden until I've spoken to Jack." he agreed. "Just wait for me to come get you." he added as they walked in.

"Everything all right at your flat?" Tosh asked when she saw him come in.

"Yeah, door didn't latch and some bloody kid got in and messed about." he answered as the door closed behind them.

"Oh, it's so much nicer in here." Faith said with a smile. "So much more quiet."

"Really?" he whispered.

"Yes, all I can here is your thoughts, and there's." she said as she nodded towards the other Torchwood members. "So calm." she laughed.

"Good." he whispered. "I'm going to talk to Jack, you wait here." he added.

"You talking to your little invisible friend?" Owen asked as he walked up next to Ianto.

"Excuse me." Ianto said, moving past the doctor, ignoring his question.

"Get's weirder all the time, that one." Owen said to Tosh as Ianto headed up to Jack's office.

"Keep it up monkey-boy." Faith muttered as she glared at Owen.

"He's not weird." Tosh said.

"No, he's not is he, Tosh." Faith said with a smile. "I knew I liked you."

"He's been going about the last two days chatting to himself." Owen pointed out. "What do you call that?"

"This is what one might call a high-stress job, Owen." Tosh said. "All of us go a little weird now and again."

"High-stress?" Owen scoffed. "I can see how filling tea and coffee orders might break one down." he joked. "Burning yourself with the steam from the kettle one too many times. I'm shocked he's yet to run to the top of a clock tower."

"You rotten little rat!" Faith hissed as she watched Owen move off towards the medical bay. She looked at his desk, trying to figure out a way to make him pay for his snide little remarks. Then she saw his cup of coffee and smiled mischievously.

Walking over, she saw a bottle of white-out and picked it up. Making sure that no one was looking to see a bottle of white out move on it's own, she poured the contents into the cream colored coffee and walked away as he came back to grab his cup.

* * *

"Jack?" Ianto called as he peaked around the door.

"Yeah?" Jack answered as he popped up from his "bedroom".

"I need to talk to you about something." he said as he cleared his throat.

"The same something as earlier?" Jack asked as he took a seat behind his desk.

"Yes." Ianto nodded.

"OK, then." he said as he sat back and got comfortable. "Shoot."

"You know yesterday, when I was acting a bit...odd?" Ianto asked.

"Yes, all of us noticed." Jack answered, wondering where Ianto was going with this.

"Well, I wasn't talking to myself." he said. "There was someone there."

"Someone?" Jack asked as he leaned forward. "Who?"

"Her name is Faith." Ianto answered.

"How did she get in here?" Jack asked, wondering how on Earth anyone could get past the sensors and alarms they had set up.

"She sort of piggy-backed on me, I think." Ianto replied, thinking he'd gotten the gist of what Faith had told him the night before.

"So, is this Faith is an alien?" Jack asked, seriously concerned.

"Yes." Ianto said.

"Where is she?" Jack asked getting to his feet. "We have a free cell, we can look her over."

"She needs help." Ianto said. "I promised her I'd see if you could help, or would. She won't let any of you see her until she knows where she stands."

"Where is she, Ianto?" Jack asked again.

"Oh, what the hell?!" they heard Owen yell from downstairs. "Who put something in my coffee?"

"She's here now isn't she?" Jack asked as he head from the office, Ianto right on his heels. "What's going on?" he called down.

"Someone put something in my damn coffee!" Owen called up as he wiped his mouth.

Ianto looked around and found Faith sitting next to Tosh with a telling smile on her face. He took a deep breath as he headed for the stairs.

"Hold it, Ianto." Jack said. "Where is she?"

"Will you try to help her?" Ianto asked as he turned around.

"I need to talk to her first to see if she's a threat." Jack answered with a shrug.

"She's not." Ianto said. "I promise."

"White-out?" Owen screamed. "Someone emptied my white-out into my coffee!"

"Ianto?" Jack said.

"Let me just go get her." Ianto said as he headed off to the laughing woman. "What did you do?" he asked as he pulled her off to the side.

"He's an incredibly rude little..." she said.

"You could have poisened him." Ianto pointed out. "This isn't going to help any with Jack, you know."

"I'm sorry." Faith said, her triumphant smile fading. "He was saying stuff about you, so I thought he needed to be taught a lesson."

"Please don't." Ianto said. "Jack wants to talk to you." he told her, looking up to see all of them watching him intently.

"Fine." she sighed. "If I must." she said, making herself visible to everyone.

"Oh my god." Gwen said as she watched as the young woman suddenly appeared. "Who is this?"

"This is Faith." Ianto said as he started leading her to Jack's office. "Faith you know everyone, Owen, the one you taught a lesson, Gwen, and Tosh."

"Hello." Faith said to all of them. "I like you most so far you know." she told Tosh, "Thank you for defending Ianto." she turned to Owen. "Crazy still, is he?" she asked, giving a wolf-like grin.

"Up here, now!" Jack called.

"Well, this is Faith." Ianto said as they reached the top of the stairs.

"So I gathered." Jack said as he eyed the woman standing next to Ianto. "Come into my office so we can talk." he said as he stood aside for her to go in. "I need to talk to her alone, Ianto." he said as he blocked the other man's way.

"It's all right, Ianto." Faith said with a reassuring smile. "If he tries anything, I am sure I can do something to defend my little self."

"You're sure?" Ianto asked uneasily.

"Yes." she said.

"Excuse us." Jack said as he shut the door and turned to Faith. "Who are you, how did you get here and what are you trying to do to Ianto?"

"First of all, I'm not trying to do anything to Ianto." Faith said.

"Let me guess, he's your friend, you'd never do anything, right?" Jack asked, not believing her for a second.

"Yes, that's right, whether you believe it or not." she said. "He's been very nice to me, even though I've been nothing but a pain since I got him to come pick me up yesterday."

"You got him to..." Jack laughed. "That box?" he asked. "He even took the call about that. I assume that's when you latched onto him."

"Yes." she nodded.

"Why him?" Jack asked as he sat on the edge of his desk, staring at Faith.

"I spent a couple of weeks learning what I could about all of you." Faith answered. "Trying to guage you all, and I felt Ianto was the safest bet."

"How did you learn about us?" he asked.

"I read your thoughts." she answered. "All of your thoughts. You, Jack, were the most difficult, you seemed to have some blank areas that I found quite odd."

"Why a Torchwood member?"

"Because I knew one of you would be most likely to keep me safe." she answered. "I picked Ianto, at first, because he was the outsider." she confessed, knowing immediatly she'd made a mistake.

"The outsider?" Jack asked as he got to his feet. "So you picked him because you thought he was weakest."

"At first, yes." Faith said, swallowing hard. "I thought he'd be the most easy to mold, to control."

"To control for what reason?" Jack asked, finding it harder and harder to want to help her.

"To get him to do somethings to all of you, for how you treat him." Faith answered, not meeting Jack's gaze.

"How we treat him?" Jack asked. "He's a member of the team..."

"You all use him as nothing more than an errand boy, someone to clean up after all of you." Faith argued. "He feels that, I know he does."

"Because you got into his head." Jack said. "You got into his thoughts, and you were going to use them, for what reason exactly?"

"To feed of his emotions as he carried out some sort of revenge against you all." she answered. "You want to hit me right now, I know you do, Jack." she said as locked eyes with him. "You think I'm horrible for this, but at least I know what he's feeling." she challenged him. "I know he's capable of more than the menial tasks you set out for him."

"You have no idea what you're talking about." Jack said as he started to walk around. "He's loved and respected here."

"No, he's not." Faith said. "You all take him for granted, assuming he'll be there to clean things up for you, to get you your afternoon tea, to shag once in a while when you feel the need." she added, her voice rising. "His birthday was last week." she told him. "What did you do for him?" she asked. "What did you get him as a present?"

"You were the one who was going to use him to feed off of, and now you're trying to turn this around to make us all seem like cruel evil people who don't give a damn about him?" Jack spat at her.

"I was going to, at first." Faith said. "But I didn't. I haven't fed off of anyone the two plus weeks I've been here." she informed him. "I nearly went mad today, keeping a promise to him." she added. "I've only known him for twenty four hours and I respect him more than any of you put together."

"Don't you dare." Jack said.

"You're just jealous, mad at yourself, that you've never taken the time to actually consider him at all." Faith went on. "He is such a sweet person, and you just automatically assume he'll be there when you want him, when you need him. That's not right."

"Owen, make sure one of the cells is open." Jack called down. "You're an alien here, you need to be monitored, made sure that you're not a threat."

"I'm not a threat." Faith said, panicking when she heard that insidious little man to get a cell ready. "And you will not put me in some box." she told him. "I won't let you."

"What''s going on?" Ianto asked as he came into the room. "Why is Owen getting a cell ready?"

"Because your little friend here is going to be a guest of Torchwood while we figure out what to do with her." Jack said.

"No!" Faith said, crying "I'm not going to be locked away because you don't like what I said." she screamed. "I won't let you." she added. "I've done nothing wrong. Tell him Ianto, tell him."

"Jack, you can't do this." he said. "She hasn't done anything." he added as he watched Faith double over. "Faith?" he asked as he moved towards her.

"I can't let them lock me away." she said before disappearing.

"Lock the place down!" Jack called.

"Faith run!" Ianto called as he and he alone saw her make a mad dash out the door before the lockdown could take place.


	6. Chapter 6

Faith ran as far and as fast as she possibly could. She would not let anyone lock her up like they'd done before. Not to be left and forgotten again. She didn't know where to go. She couldn't go back to Ianto's, they'd look for her there.

Ianto! What was going to happen to him? He'd helped her, he'd brought her into Torchwood, knowingly this time. He'd told her to keep running. She stopped and thought a moment. What if he was getting into some sort of trouble for all he'd done? She thought about going back, if for no other reason, to check on him. She couldn't just leave him. Not after all the help he'd been. Not when he didn't have to do anything at all for her. She had to go back to make sure they weren't turning on him because of her.

* * *

"Faith, run!?" Jack asked as he looked at Ianto. "You just let an alien escape to run free on the streets of Cardiff!" he said, not believing that one of his own team, Ianto of all of them , had done this. 

"Jack." Tosh said. "Maybe there's a reason Ianto's done this."

"There is." Ianto replied. "She's done nothing wrong. She made me a promise, and she kept it."

"How do you know that?" Jack asked, his annoyance rising as Ianto made excuses. "How do you know she wasn't just telling you what you wanted to hear?"

"Because I trust her." Ianto shouted.

"You don't even know her." Jack said. "She used you to get in here, she was going to use you to feed off your emotions, she was going to try to manipulate you to get revenge on us for what she felt were slights."

"They weren't just what she felt were slights." Ianto said. "All of you, you go around, you go out, make messes, get so busy with your work, none of you even seem to remember I'm here most of the time unless you're hungry, thirsty or spill something." he went on, feeling good for venting his pent up frustrations. "Then suddenly, Teaboy to the bloody rescue!"

"Ianto, we don't think of you that way." Gwen said as though she were trying to calm a troubled child.

"No, most of the time none of you ever even bother to think of me. You all think of yourselves, and what you all want." Ianto snorted. "And Faith was right, I have thought of doing things to you, when I'm making your tea, maybe sloshing the dish towel around in it a few times, spitting in it, mostly Owen's." he said as he paced frantically. "But I never do and I never say anything." he added. "She's right, I need to stand up for myself more."

"We need to go look for her." Jack said, breaking the silence that followed Ianto's rant. "You can either come with us and help, or we need to put you in a cell so you can't interfere." he said, trying to make eye contact with Ianto.

"She didn't do anything." Ianto repeated. "And you can't lock her up. They did that to her before, it took months before someone came to help her." he closed his eyes. "I won't help you catch her. She hasn't done anything."

"Owen, please take him down to the cells." Jack said, hoping Ianto would come to his senses.

"Jack..." Tosh began before going quiet at the look Jack shot her.

"Come on." Owen said as he took Ianto by the arm and led him down to the cells. "You think she might go back to your flat?" he asked as he locked the cell door.

"I'm not saying anything." Ianto responded as he sat on the small bed in the corner.

"Fine then, we'll just do it without you." Owen said as he turned to walk away, "nothin' new there then, eh?"

* * *

"Rotten little prat!" Faith hissed as she watched Owen walk by. 

"Faith?" Ianto whispered.

"I'm so sorry." she said as she appeared in front of him. "This is my fault."

"I decided on my own to help." Ianto pointed out.

"Are there some keys or something?" Faith asked. "I need to get you out of there."

"You need to run, Faith." he argued. "How did you even get back in here?"

"I snuck in past them as they were leaving, no doubt on their manhunt for me." she explained. "Keys?" she asked again.

"I'm fine, just go." he said again.

"No, I'm not leaving you caged up like this." she argued. "Keys?" she demanded.

"Spare set, Jack's office, under the lamp on his desk." Ianto answered with a sigh. "Hurry in case someone comes back."

"I will." Faith said as she headed off to find the keys. She was in Jack's office, lifting the lamp, picking up the keys, when she heard the door scrape open. She froze in place, trying to figure out who it was who'd come back. Jack, damn it. That's who.

"Faith?" she heard him call. "I know you got back in."

"Damn you." she whispered, moving silently to look out the window of his office.

"Ianto seems to think you're not a threat." he went on, looking around, hoping to catch a glimpse. "Come out, talk to me and maybe we can settle things."

Faith ever so quietly moved along, trying to get backto the cells without Jack hearing her.

"You know, you were right about everything." he continued, "We all take him for granted. It's wrong, but we do." he said, stopping and listening for any signs of movement. "We do care for him, even if you don't think we do."

Faith rolled her eyes, even if she knew that Jack was telling the truth, at least where he was concerned, she still despised him and the others for how they treated Ianto.

"If you just come out and talk to me, I promise, we won't put you in a cell." Jack said. "Ianto trusts you, and we trust him." he added, hoping he was getting through.

"If I come out, you have to let Ianto out." Faith said as she moved around.

"I will." Jack agreed.

"And you can't hold him responsible for any of this." she went on. "He did it to help me, to keep his promise."

"I know." Jack said. "You have my word." he added. "He says you haven't done anything to harm anyone, so it's pretty easily forgiven."

"Even though he didn't tell you about me right away?" Faith asked. "You're not going to hold that against him are you?"

"No, I won't." Jack assured her. "We just want to get to know you, who you are, what you are."

"Let him out of that damn cell, and then I'll show myself." Faith demanded.

"Done." Jack said as he headed down to let Ianto out.

"Faith?" Ianto whispered when he heard someone moving down the hall towards his cell.

"Guess again." Jack said as he unlocked the door.

"What's going on?" Ianto asked suspiciously.

"Faith and I struck a deal." Jack said as he stood back for Ianto to walk out of the small room.

"You're not going to put her in here, right?" Ianto asked as he slowly came out, almost afraid it was some sort of trap.

"No, I gave my word that that wouldn't happen." Jack assured him. "Trust me."

"He's held up his end." Faith said as she came to stand next to Ianto. "Time I do the same." she added as she took a deep breath before showing herself.

"Ready to talk?" Jack asked.

Slowly Faith nodded.

"I'm going to be there when you talk to her this time." Ianto insisted.

"Fine with me." Jack said. "Can't go any worse than last time." he said with a half-hearted laugh. "Ladies first."

Faith headed towards Jack's office with Ianto by her side, still half fearing that Jack would go back on his word and lock her away.


	7. Chapter 7

"What made you decide to come back?" Faith asked as she took the seat Jack offered her.

"I figured it was a safe bet that you'd come back to check on Ianto." Jack explained as he took his own seat. "I don't like what you were planning on, but I do like the fact that you do seem to care about Ianto."

"I'm glad." Faith replied with a forced smile. "What are you going to do to me?"

"You said you'd try to help." Ianto reminded Jack. "Can you?"

"Ianto claims you haven't harmed anyone." Jack began.

"I haven't." she said emphatically. "I promise."

"She seems to be picking up more and more people's thoughts and conversations the longer she goes without leeching on people's emotions." Ianto explained.

"You have no idea how that feels." Faith said. "It's not easy to keep a promise when you want to run out and leech off each and everyone of those people you can here."

"I'm sure it's not." Jack said. "The thoughts and chats.." he went on. "You seem to be fine right now."

"As soon as Ianto brought me in here," Faith shrugged. "The only ones I could hear were you five."

"You could read our thoughts?" Jack asked, feeling a bit uneasy about that.

"Yes." Faith nodded. "Owen was thinking about going to the pub after work, and who might be there, any women he might fancy, that sort of thing." she said. "Tosh was thinking about Owen, why I just can't begin to imagine, and I won't go into what she was thinking about where he was concerned." she looked up to Ianto. "It's always the quiet ones you know."

"Thanks for sparing details." Jack said.

"Not a problem." Faith replied. "Gwen was wondering if Rhys was going to be home before her, and if they'd have time to do anything." she smiled as she looked at Jack. "Shall I tell you what you were thinking when Ianto came in earlier?" she asked.

"No, I'm quite sure you're telling the truth." Jack said as he waved his hand at her. "So, as long as you're in the hub, you're not bombarded."

"So it would seem." Faith agreed.

"Why is that?" Ianto asked.

"Her body is probably just trying to get her to do what it feels it needs." Jack said, not completely sure of his answer. "Something here in the hub blocks out outside thoughts and influences."

"Thank goodness for that." she sighed. "So, what now?"

"I think I should call the others back off the wild goose chase." Jack said. "I'm going to owe you for a new door, by the way, Ianto." he added with a guilty smile.

"I'm sure I'll be hearing from my landlord anytime." Ianto said, hoping that his neighbor wouldn't be asking to have him thrown out.

"When they get back, Owen will need to take a look at you, Faith." Jack went on.

"Why?" she asked.

"Nothing major." Jack said. "Just some blood work, temperature, simple stuff like that."

"And he's the only one who can do that?" Faith asked nervously. "I don't think I want him near me with a needle."

"The coffee thing, huh?" Jack asked. "That is one more area I'm not happy with you on."

"He was being rude to Ianto." she said defensively. "He's just a rotten little man..."

"You've got yourself a guard dog it seems, Ianto." Jack said. "Keep her muzzled and on a short leash."

"Will do." Ianto said. "After a little bit, I'm sure she'll calm down a bit."

"She is sitting right here, and she can hear you." Faith said, looking at both of them. "And she has a name, and she also doesn't like being talked about as though she's not in the room."

"Sorry." Jack said. "Make sure all the liquid paper is locked up, Ianto."

"I was just thinking that." Ianto said with a smirk.

"I'm not liking you much right now." Faith said as she glared at Ianto, causing him to laugh out loud.

"Gwen?" Jack said, clicking on his earpiece.

"Yeah, Jack?" she answered. "Find her?"

"Yup, she's back here at the hub." he replied. "Everyone get back here."

"You're sure there's no one else who can do this little exam you were talking about?" Faith asked again.

"Nope, we've only got one doctor." Jack said. "This will just be a lesson to you to be nicer from now on."

"It was meant as a lesson to Owen." Faith said, crossing her arms, pouting a bit.

"Ianto, you know what Owen's going to need, could you go set it up for him?" Jack asked. "And I'm not using him as the chore boy." he said to Faith as she looked at him. "This is simply to speed things up a bit."

"It's fine." Ianto said. "Shouldn't take more than a few minutes."

When Ianto had gone, Jack got up and closed the door, turning back to look at Faith.

"What?" she asked nervously.

"Not going to read my thoughts?" Jack asked.

"For some reason your thoughts are just a big jumble." Faith answered.

"I'm doing this for Ianto." Jack said. "I don't know why, but in a very short period of time, he's become very attached to you."

"I didn't do anything to cause that." she said.

"But, I've promised him that I'd see if we can help you." Jack went on as though she hadn't spoken. "If you prove to be any danger at all to any of us, I will not hesitate to get rid of you."

"Get rid of me?" Faith asked.

"Either, by sending you back through the rift, or by euthanising you." he explained.

"Euthanising me." Faith scoffed. "Such a nice way of saying execute."

"I'm just explaining that if you've done or are planning to do anything that will cause harm to any of us, I'll do what needs to be done." Jack said, wanting to make himself perfectly clear.

"I understand." Faith said as she got to her feet. "If there is any legitimate reason to fear me, or what I may do, then I can accept that." she added. "But, I don't think you'll be that lucky, Jack."

"Lucky?" Jack asked.

"You're threatened by me." Faith said simply. "There's a part of you that's jealous." she added with a smile. "Ianto and I have bonded, how you don't know, and why you don't know, but no matter the reason, that bothers you."

"Owen will be here soon, you should get ready." Jack said, not willing to get into a fight with Faith at that moment.

"If I am planning on doing something nasty, then "euthanising" me will be a very quick way to get rid of me." Faith went on. "And you'll be able to justify it. As to where at the moment, you can't."

"Jack?" they heard Gwen call up as the door scraped open. "Is everything all right?"

"Fine." Jack called back, not breaking eye contact with Faith. "Owen, get ready to do an exam on our invisible friend."

"I do hope she's not going to be invisible when I do the exam." Owen said as he took off his jacket.

"No, don't worry." Jack said as he moved to let Faith pass. "She's agreed to it. She'll be a good little alien, won't you, Fatih?"

"Of course." she said. "I give my word, and I do keep my word."

"Right then, come on." Owen said, as he eyed the woman. "So, you're the one who tried to poison me?" he asked as she came to stand next to him.

"That would have just been an unfortunate side effect of you learning a lesson." she said. "You shouldn't talk about people so rudely." she added. "Especially behind their backs."

"Especially when their pit bull is nearby listening." Owen said as he put on his lab coat.

"What are we going to do about the voices?" Ianto asked Jack as he joined him, standing next to the others, all watching as Owen carried out his tests.

"If she passes some little tests, and I think we can trust her, we'll see if Tosh and Owen can come up with something brilliant." Jack answered.

"She will pass." Ianto said as he watched Owen draw some blood.

"I'm sorry." Jack said softly.

"What?" Ianto asked.

"I'm sorry I take you for granted." Jack answered, turning to look at him. "I don't think about it most of the time. Pretty sad it took Faith to make me realise what I do."

"Took Faith for me to realise it fully too." Ianto said, looking back at Jack. "She's not a bad person you know." he added, watching Faith and Owen again.

"No, she's not." Jack agreed, turning back to the exam also, feeling a bit annoyed. "But whether or not she's a bad alien remains to be seen."

"She's not." Ianto said quietly, watching as Faith flinched a bit as Owen took one more vial of blood.

Faith looked up to see them all watching and smiled up to Ianto.

**Notes: I'm liking Faith, and so this is either going to be a very long story, or I'm gonna be doin' lots of fics with her as a main charrie. I'm debating on whether or not to bring in Captain John when I write Faith, too...Hmmm... so many decisions. Well, enjoy!!**


	8. Chapter 8

"Well, what do the tests show?" Jack asked as they sat around the confrence table.

"Oddly enough," Owen began. "They seem pretty normal. Blood pressure is a bit higher than a normal human's as is the heart rate, and the temperature is quite a bit lower." he said. "More metalic based elements in the blood as well, but normal otherwise."

"What does that tell us?" Gwen asked.

"Physically speaknig she's not far from human." Owen answered. "But, I'm gonna keep checking on her bloodwork, see if anything changes, mutates really."

"So, you think she's safe right now, then?" Ianto asked.

"Does this mean you'll help me?" Faith asked.

"I want to try some more tests." Jack answered. "Test your mental and physical reactions to some things."

"And if I pass them?" Faith asked.

"Then we'll go from there." Jack said.

"You don't give much away, do you?" Faith asked.

"Always keep 'em guessing." Jack said with a smile.

"So when do we do these tests?" Faith asked.

"Tomorrow." Jack said as he stood up. "It's late and I'm sure you all would like to go home."

"Well, some would prefer to head to the pub, eh, Owen?" Faith asked with a smile. "Gwen would like to get home to cuddle up to Rhys, and Tosh...you're going to do some more work when you get home."

"Do you have to do that?" Owen asked.

"I can't help it." Faith answered with a shrug.

"But you don't have to announce to everyone." he pointed out.

"No, but it's more fun that way." she said with a laugh.

"Faith, do you want us to help?" Jack asked.

"Yes, you know I do..." she began.

"Then play nice, don't let everyone know what others are thinking." he warned.

"Fine then." she said as she stood up.

"How broken is my front door?" Ianto asked. "Will we be able to sleep there without having to worry about people coming in?"

"Ah, are you inviting me back to your place?" Jack asked teasingly.

"Faith can't stay here, so I assume she'll come home with me." Ianto said. "Will my door hold for the night?"

"She can stay here." Jack corrected.

"I'm not going in a cell." Faith snapped. "I won't do anything. I promise."

"What about the noise?" Jack asked. "Will you be able to sleep at all if all you can hear are people's thoughts and voices?"

"I didn't think of that." she sighed. "Then where am I supposed to sleep?" she asked. "I'm not letting you lock me up."

"No need to lock you up." Jack said. "You can sleep in a cell and I can leave the door unlocked, you can come and go as you please."

"She could take the couch." Ianto pointed out, not having thought of the noise factor either.

"Better than a cell." Faith said.

"I'll run home and get your few things and bring them back here." Ianto said. "Will you be all right alone with Jack for a while?" he asked her.

"I think so, yes." she nodded. "Thank you." she added with a smile.

"OK, the rest of you, out!" Jack said. "Gwen, go home to your man, Owen hit the bars, Tosh..." he stopped. "Work I guess." he shrugged.

They all nodded and headed off home, Ianto among them to get the few things Faith had at his place.

"So, alone at last." Jack said.

"So it would seem." Faith said. "Although I'm not the one you wanted here alone, am I?" she asked.

"You really need to work on that." he said.

"I didn't mention any names, no detail, I can't see the harm in it." she responded with a smile.

"You're trying to get to me." Jack said.

"I don't know what you mean." Faith said, feigning innocence.

"You know Ianto is special to me, and right now things aren't so good between us." he said. "You're the cause of that."

"No, you're the cause of that, Jack." she pointed out. "I just got him to open his eyes to it." she said. "You hurt him a lot when you ran off after your...doctor?" she laughed. "Must give one hell of a physical for you to abandon your precious team like that."

"How is it that you can read my thoughts?" he asked. "Tosh had..."

"A necklace an alien girlfriend gave to her that let her read people's thoughts, and yet she couldn't get anything at all off of you." Faith finished for him. "I guess going without is making me quite strong in that department."

"If all goes well for you with the tests, that little ability could come in handy for us." Jack replied. "Having our own resident mind reader would save us a lot of trouble at times."

"Oh, so you'd cart me out when you have an uncooperative alien or thug?" Faith asked. "Oh, you're making me feel all warm and fuzzy. To welcome me with such open arms if I prove to be harmless enough to be a use to you."

"If you're harmless and we help you find a way to stay here on Earth, I think you'd owe us just a little." Jack said. "Don't you?"

"You do have a point." she conceded. "I hope I get the opportunity to help then."

"So do I." he said.

"A part of you yes, yet there is this little part of you, that you don't want to acknowledge, that hopes I try to kill you in the night." she laughed.

"A very little part." Jack agreed. "But I don't think Ianto would handle that very well..."

"Which is why it's such a little part." she nodded. "I'm hungry." she said, changing subjects completely.

"Kitchen is that way if you want to make something." Jack told her.

"Umm, I don't think that's such a good idea." she said as she bit her lip. "I tried to make Ianto breakfast this morning, and it didn't turn out too well. I don't think he'd be amused if I messed anything up here or started a fire."

"We can order in." Jack decided. "What do you like?"

"Everything." she answered. "I mean it, I have yet to find one food on this planet that I don't like." she said as Jack stared at her. "Other than coffee." she amended. "Don't tell Ianto, but I detest the stuff."

"Well then, I think this little friendship you two have started is at an end." Jack said as he picked up some take out menus. "That will be a deal breaker."

"Only if he finds out." Faith corrected.

"But now I have leverage." Jack said. "We can get on quite well, can't we?"

"So long as Ianto's not about." she answered.

"So, we're going to have a little contest as far as he's concerned." he said as he picked up the phone to make an order.

"Yes, looks as though Ianto is going to have more attention than he knows what to do with." she agreed. "Lucky him."

"Definitely, especially where I'm concerned." Jack said as he gave his order. "Not so sure about you yet."

"Well, seeing as how I'm better than you." Faith remarked with a smile. "That and the fact that I'm not going anywhere, Ianto will really be in for it, poor dear."

"Poor dear with quite a nice rear end though." he said with a smile.

"Yes, that I have noticed." Faith agreed with a laugh. "Hard to miss that."

"First thing I noticed about him." Jack said, laughing too.

"Why do I hear laughter?" they heard someone say, turning around to find Ianto standing behind them with an overnight bag.

"Does it worry you that we're getting along?" Jack asked.

"It terrifies him." Faith answered. "Don't worry though, Ianto. We'll play nice."

"Just think, it could still turn out that she's pure evil wating to go off." Jack pointed out. "Then you won't have to worry."

"I'll have to keep you separated." Ianto groaned as he dropped the bag to the ground.

"You have that much stuff already, Faith?" Jack asked. "Women."

"I've only a few things." Faith said as she shook her head. "Oh, I see. Ianto's staying too, to run interference if you and I go at eachother."

"Ahh, I see." Jack said. "Well, depending on how the night goes, you could be in for a long night."

"He and I fighting is not what he has in mind." Faith whispered into Ianto's ear as she bent to get the bag.

"Well then he's going to be disappointed." Ianto said.

"I know he is." Faith said with a smile. "And I'm very happy to hear it."

"He won't be, I'm sure." Ianto said with a half smile.

"I know, that's partly why I'm happy to hear it." she laughed as they both looked over at Jack, who was looking a bit annoyed again, and headed back to his office.

"Food should be here soon. Let me know when it does." he said before closing the door.

**Notes: Faith will be stickin' around, and I do want to do a romantic interest for her, I just need to figure out who... Cap.John, Owen...Ianto..Jack...have her steal Rhys...so many options...Your input is welcome, as always...Well, hope you enjoy the latest chapter!!**


	9. Chapter 9

"I was just thinking." Faith said as she helped Ianto clean up from dinner.

"Do I want to know?" Ianto asked, truly worried by what might come out of her mouth.

"Of course you do." she answered with a smile. "If everything goes well tomorrow, I'm going to have to find a job, a place to live." she stopped washing the plate in her hands. "What if because I don't have a birth certificate or anything like that, I can't find a job? If I can't find a job then I'll be forced to live on the streets, fighting crazy cat women for the best shopping carts and boxes to huddle under." She looked to Ianto, gasping. "That is just horrible. I won't be able to shower. I like showering."

"_When _you pass those tests, Tosh will set you up with any documents you'll need, Owen will sign off as your doctor and you will stay with me until you figure things out." Ianto said, half laughing at the scenario her wild imagination had come up with. "And as for a job, I'll help you there."

"You really are too sweet you know." Faith said, feeling a much better about things to come. "So you think I will pass the tests?" she asked. " That's good, because I don't think I could handle living in a box." she grimaced. "But, you're going to want your flat back. So, I'll have to be quick about getting things figured out."

"Take as long as you need." Ianto said, taking the plate she still held. "I spend most of my time here, so it's not as though you'll be too much in the way."

"Have you ever lived with a woman before?" she asked as she dried her hands.

"My mother." he answered.

"Your mother doesn't count." she laughed. "I promise I'll try to be good though. I'll clean up, I'll cook..."

"No cooking!" Ianto said, shaking his head. "No need for that. I like to cook."

"What if you're not there to cook?" Faith asked, slightly offended.

"Then order in. Or go out." he answered. "Come on, need to get that bed made up for you."

"You don't trust me not to burn your flat down." she said. "It was the muffins, wasn't it?"

"Yes." he answered without hesitation.

"Ianto, I need a word." Jack called from his office.

"The blankets are there by the sofa." Ianto told her. "It's actually a futon, so if you want more room, just pull it out."

"All right." Faith said.

"I can help you with it, if you want." Ianto said, trying to delay going to Jack's office.

"It's fine." Faith said. "He won't do or say anything too horrible, I'm sure." she added. "So no need to try to delay it." she smiled. "Go on then."

"Some help you are." he grumbled as he headed off to Jack's office, leaving Faith pulling the futon down and spreading the sheet over it.

* * *

"You wanted to see me, Sir." Ianto said as he walked into Jack's office, standing near the door. 

"Come on in and close the door, Ianto." Jack said as walked around to the front of his desk.

"Yes, Sir." Ianto said as he closed the door.

"Enough with the "Sir" Ianto." he replied with a sigh. "We need to talk."

"About what?" he asked.

"About what will happen if tomorrow doesn't go well for her." Jack replied.

"I don't see why it wouldn't." he said nervously.

"But, you should be prepared in case it goes badly." Jack said. "If we find her to be a threat..."

"She's not, I've already told you all that." Ianto said, getting sick of having to say that.

"I know." Jack said. "Can I ask something?"

"Of course." Ianto said.

"Why have you become so protective of her, so attached?" he asked, this question driving him crazy all day.

"I don't know." Ianto answered honestly. "She drove me up the wall when I first met her, but there's something about her. Something, warm, supportive, sympathetic."

"Because she's so protective of you?" Jack asked.

"I don't know what it is." he replied. "I don't have many friends, as you know, and no family." he said. "Maybe that's why."

"Ianto, if you've fallen for her..." Jack began.

"I've not fallen for her." Ianto interrupted. "I've only known her a very short time, yet I feel like I can count on her."

"You don't feel that way where I'm concerned?" Jack asked.

"Sometimes, yes." he answered with a shrug. "Other times.."

"I see." Jack said. "When I went looking for the doctor I mentioned, I should have given you all more warning."

"We've been over that." Ianto said, rolling his eyes.

"I know, but I don't think we went over it very thoroughly." Jack said. "I'm sorry about that." he added as he came to stand in front of Ianto. "But, I meant what I said. I came back for you." he said as he cupped Ianto's face in his hands. "And I'm helping Faith, if she can be, for you."

"Thank you." Ianto said softly. "I think we should get to bed." he added after staring at Jack for a bit. "It's late." he said as he backed away. "Is there anything else?"

"No, that's all." Jack said as he watched Ianto head to the door. "Oh, actually." he said as he walked over to Ianto and kissed him. "Good night, Ianto." he whispered.

* * *

"You live, I see." Faith said as she struggled to get her pillow into its case. 

"Umm, yeah, of course." Ianto mumbled as he took the pillow from her and had it in in thirty seconds.

"Are you all right?" she asked as she took the pillow from him.

"Yes, of course." he lied. He never really knew where he stood with Jack or what their relationship was. All of this wasn't really helping matters much.

"You're lying." Faith said. "But, I also know you don't want to talk about it, so it's dropped." she added as she tossed the pillow down. "I'm going to go change, don't miss me too much." she said as she picked up a pile of clothes and headed off to the bathroom.

Ianto dug through the overnight bag and took out his own night clothes. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, yawning when Faith came back wearing an old pair of his pajama pants and a t-shirt of his, long black hair pulled back into a ponytail.

"I'll shut off the lights on my way back through." Ianto told her as he headed off to change himself.

"Where are you planning on sleeping?" she asked as she pulled back the blankets.

"Down in the cells." he answered.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me." she said in disbelief.

"No, we don't usually do sleepovers here at Torchwood, so we're low on sleeping accomodations." he explained.

"But the cells?" Faith asked. "Down there in the dark? With a weevil and an angry Roman soldier?" she looked at him and placed her hands on her hips. "The bed here is pleanty big enough." she said. "You can sleep here with me."

"That's quite all right." Ianto said. "I don't want to bother you."

"You're too much sometimes, Ianto, you really are." Faith said. "You don't want to sleep down there, so just sleep up here." she added. "I promise I won't cop more than two or three feels." she laughed.

"I don't want to sleep down there, but I'm not sure this would be such a good idea." he said.

"We'd be sleeping in the same bed." she said. "And it's not like I could really put the moves on you anyways, Jack's going to be looming over us all night." she pointed out. "Please, just sleep up here. We're adults, we can share a bed without being all weird about it."

"Okay then." Ianto agreed finally. "I just need to go change."

"Thank you." she said as she crawled into the bed. "Right or left?" she called.

"Left." he called back as he locked the bathroom door behind him.

"What kind of tests do you think Jack will put me through tomorrow?" Faith asked once Ianto had settled into his side of the bed.

"I don't know." he ansnwered. "Don't worry though, it'll be fine."

"I wish I was as confident as you." Faith yawned. "Good night." she said as she quickly drifted off.

Ianto lay completely still next to her. When was the last time he'd shared a bed with a woman, he wondered. Lisa. That was the last time. Gently turning onto his side, Ianto watched as Faith slept. He'd almost forgotten how nice it really was to have a woman sleep beside him. Lisa always used a lavender shampoo that he could still smell to this day. Faith smelled of vanilla.

He and Jack had obviously shared a bed on more than one occasion, but that was always rather hurried, not very romantic. And Jack didn't smell as nice as most women usually did. He wasn't as soft as women, either. Still, Jack did have thatcertain something, even if he didlack in the romance department. Of course, he also seemed lacking in many other departments as well. He'dhave to sit down with Jack and talk about all of that when he knew that Faith was going to be safe. Yawning, his eyes close and he let himselfdrift off.

* * *

"Sleeping like little babies." a voice said laughingly. 

"Shush and leave them alone." another said.

"I'm not doing anything." the first voicereplied. "They'regonna have to get up soon though. Istill need to do some bloodwork."

Faith's eyes opened and she saw Owen standing at the foot of the bed with an odd smile onhis face.

"Good morning." he said. "Hope we didn't wake you."

"What time is it?" she asked as she stretched herentire body out.

"Half past eight." Owen said, looking at his watch. "Ready to have some more blood taken before Jack decides to test you?"

"Fine, let's get it over with." she said as she crawled over a still sleeping Ianto and stood up.

"No need to be too excited." Owen remarked.

"How can one contain their excitement when promised with being poked with needles?" she asked sarcastically.

"Good question." he said. "Come along."

"Ianto,time to get up." Jack said as he came walking up, still feeling a little bitter at having woken up at one point to find Ianto and Faith, not only sharing the bed, but her cuddled up rather nicely next to Ianto.

"Time is it?" Ianto mumbled into his pillow.

"Half past eight." Tosh said as she sat down at her station with a cup of coffee.

"Time for the tests?" Ianto asked as he sat up and flung his legs over the side of the bed.

"Owen is going to take some more blood tests, then we'll do the tests." Jack answered.

"Okay." Ianto said as he rubbed his eyes and stood up. "I'm going to go get dressed." he said as he yawned.

"You do that." Jack said as he stalked off back to his office.

"What's his problem?" Gwen asked.

"Not a clue." Tosh said as she watched Ianto head off to get dressed.

* * *

"All right then." Owen said. "I've got enough to work with here, Jack, if you'd like to take her off for the first of your little experiments." 

"Come on then, Faith." Jack said as he waited for her to meet him at the top of the stairs leading down to Owen's little medi bay.

"What is it?" she asked.

"You'll see when we get down to the cells." he answered.

"Cells?" she asked as she stopped.

"I'm not going to toss you in one." Jack said a little peevishly. "Just want to see something."

"He's not going to throw you in one." Ianto said as he came to stand next to Faith.

"Come along." Jack said as he headed off in front of them.

"He's in a mood this morning." Faith said to Ianto as they followed along, Tosh and Gwen bringing up the rear. "He thinks the chat you two had last night was useless."

"We'll see if it was." Ianto said as they came to stand next to Jack.

"Meet Janet." Jack said. "Come stand here in front of the cell, Faith." he said.

"And then?" Faith asked.

"Just wait." he said as they watched Janet walk over to the glass and look at Faith. The weevil started to moan and howl.

"He's sad." Faith said as she stepped forward. "He misses his family." she added as she put a couple of fingers in through the airholes of the glass. "Poor thing." she whispered as Janet reached out cautiously and touched Faith's fingers.

The others watched in amazement as Faith went right up to the creature, no fear showing at all. Ianto wanted to reach out and pull her hand back from the glass, but he fought the urge.

"Interesting." Jack muttered. "Come meet our Roman friend." he said.

Faith turned and saw the soldier in the cell across from Janet.

"He's angry." she said. "He's planning all types of revenge against you for keeping him here like this." she went on with a smile. "Such good plans they are too." she cooed.

"Faith." Ianto said.

"Strong resentment." she said, ignoring him. "I could go on that for months." she continued happily. "But, I promised I wouldn't." she said quickly as she turned around. "Well, what else is there?" she asked.

"Uh, Jack." Owen said, standing behind them all. "There's something weird with her bloodwork."

"Something weird how?" Jack asked.

"I think she's mutating." Owen answered simply.

**Notes: Whew, didn't think I'd ever get this chapter up. Finally. I couldn't decide who to pair Faith with, so I had my cats decide for me. So my mind is working on that story line already. Just need to decide if I should just make this one really long story and bring that in here, or do a whole new one and wrap this one up...Anyways, hope you all enjoy and thanks again for the praise.**


	10. Chapter 10

Everyone stood staring at Owen in shock. Jack and Ianto shot a look to one another and Ianto squeezed Faith's hand reassuringly.

"You rotten little bastard!" she screamed as she launched herself at him. "You think that's funny?"

"Faith!" Ianto said as he pulled the kicking and punching woman off of Owen, whose nose was bleeding profusely.

"He thought that would be funny." she said as Ianto set her back on the ground, keeping one arm around her waist to hold her back. "Because of that damn coffee!"

"What?" Gwen asked, totally confused.

"Owen." Jack said in a tone that a mother would use to scorn a naughty child.

"I didn't think she'd go so flipping mad." Owen said as he held his head back, Tosh grabbing a tissue from her pocket to catch the blood. "Forgot that she could read my damn mind."

"Is it broken?" Tosh asked, biting her lip in worry.

"I hope it is." Faith said as she glared at the irksome doctor.

"I don't think it is." Owen said smugly. "Sorry to disappoint, love."

"So she's not mutating?" Gwen asked.

"No, Owen's just being a pain in the ass." Jack said as he eyed Owen.

"She might not be, but her blood is." Owen said as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"How?" Jack asked.

"Those metallic elements I found in her blood sample yesterday." he started to explain as he looked down at his shirt. "They're decreasing. And her white and red blood cells are all out of whack." he said. "This was a new shirt, I hope you're happy."

"Oh, the hell with your shirt." Ianto said, wanting to throttle the man himself. "What does that mean?"

"I don't know." Owen said as he held a fresh tissue under his nose. "I need to check her out again."

"I want to kill him." Faith said to Ianto, still trembling with fear and rage. "It's not like anyone would really miss him."

"No, but I don't think it would help your case at all." Ianto pointed out.

"True." she said. "That's the only thing saving the little rat-faced..."

"Owen can go change his shirt, Ianto, why don't you take Faith down to the medi bay and wait for him." Jack said. "Gwen, Tosh and I can set up for the next tests while you're doing that."

"Okay." Ianto said as he took Faith by the arm and led her down to wait for Owen. "Feeling better?" he asked as he brought a bottle of water.

"Yes." she nodded. "I just have to remember that if I kill him, then I don't get to stay here." she said as she took a deep breath. "How do you work with him everyday?"

"I try to ignore him as much as possible." he shrugged. "After a while you barely notice he's talking."

"That would have to take a long while." Faith said as she took a drink. "What do you think's happening to my blood?"

"I don't know." he ansnwered. "But, I'm sure it's nothing to worry about." he said with a smile.

"I hope you're right." she replied, peeling the label off the bottle when Owen came down.

"All right, then." he said as he pulled out his spare lab jacket. "Let's check your heart." he said as he pulled out his stethiscope. "Heart rate seems slower than yesterday." he said after listening for a minute or two. "Let's take your temperature." he muttered. "This could take a bit, Ianto, you don't have to stay."

"I'll stay." Ianto responded as he pulled a stool up next to the exam table.

"Suit yourself." Owen said as he pulled out the thermometer. "Say "ahhh", Faith." he added in an annoying tone.

"I hate you." she said before he could put the thermometer in her mouth.

"It's just your way of dealing with your unbelievable attraction to me." Owen said. "I get that a lot."

"Which is why all your women have to be drunk." Ianto muttered.

"At least I get some women." Owen retorted. "Ow!" he said as he received a sharp kick to the knee from Faith. "That counts against you." he warned. "Temperature is lower, too." he said. "Interesting." he said. "Treadmill."

"Treadmill?" Faith asked. "What is that going to tell you?"

"I need to see how much it takes for your heart rate to fluctuate." Owen said. "That and body temperature, respiration..."

"Fine." Faith said. "Can Iat least change?" she asked. "I don't feel like doing a work out in my jammies."

"Fine by me." Owen said. "You go change, and I'll get the treadmill set up."

"Treadmill." she muttered under her breath as she walked off and grabbed her clothes.

"Is the treadmill really necessary?" Ianto asked.

"Absolutely." Owen nodded.

"I don't see what that's going to tell you." he argued.

"Well, you're not a doctor, so you wouldn't really understand." Owen said as he walked off. "Trust me, it'll tell me lots." he called over his shoulder.

* * *

After what seemed to be forever to Faith on the treadmill, Owen told her she could stop. This entire thing had been maddening. First those "tests" in the cells, and then Owen's idea of a joke. And then to top things off, having to run on a treadmill for goodness knows how long with all five of them watching. 

Not only had it been the bloody treadmill, but also jumping jacks, jump rope, sit ups and push ups. She had wanted to tell Owen to go to hell, but she was determined to do what she needed to in order to stay on Jack's good side so she could stay.

"Well?" she asked as Ianto handed her another bottle of water. "Perhaps you're hiding a swimming pool and you'd like me to swim a few laps?"

"Nope, this was good enough." Owen said with a smug smile.

"Good job." Jack said as he leaned against the wall.

"Good job?" she asked,turning to look at him. "I did what Ihe told me because I want to stay here." she said. "He was only doing itto get back at me." she added, glaring at the still smiling doctor.

"I know." Jack said. "And yet, you never leeched off him." he pointed out. "He was enjoying himself immensly and yet you controlled yourself."

"That was one of your damn tests?" Faith asked. "So I ran around like that, him with that annoying little smile on his face the entire time, all so you could sit and watch my reactions?"

"In a nutshell, yes." Jack nodded.

"So, she passed that, then." Ianto said, feeling rather relieved. "So, now?"

"Her bloodwork still." Owen answered. "Need to run a few more tests."

"So, that wasn't a test?" Faith asked.

"Nope, your blood is a little odd." Owen said. "Looks completely different than it did yesterday."

"But on the bright side, I do believe you can go without leeching." Jack said with a smile.

"Brilliant." Faith said. "So, by tests, you mean blood tests, right?" she asked.

"Yep." Owen nodded. "Unless Jack has some more to see if you're going to vaporize anyone."

"If I could vaporize people, you'd be long gone, Owen." she replied.

"True." he nodded. "Come here so I can draw some more blood, then you can go have lunch or something."

"You're worse than a vampire." Faith groaned. "All you want is my blood."

"If your attitude were slightly better, it'd be more than you're blood that I'd be after." Owen said.

"Yes, I know." she said. "I can read your thoughts, remember?"

"For now." he said.

"For now?" she asked.

"Tosh and Owen have been working on something, in case you passed everything." Jack informed her. "If you pass, you'll need some way of not going crazy hearing people's thoughts and chats."

"They can come up with something?" she asked.

"Have done." Tosh said. "Given that Owen can figure out this blood thing."

"Oh thank you." Faith said as she gave Tosh a hug. "Thank you, thank you, thank you." she said turning to Owen and hugging him as well.

"Don't get ahead of yourself." Tosh warned.

"Yeah, if your bloodwork is too off, your new life as anhuman could be either short lived, or take longer to get." Owen added.

"Just the thought that you've come up with something to block them." Faith squeeled. "It's so exciting." she added as she literally jumped for joy.

"Okay, calm down." Ianto said. "Don't get too excited in case something goes wrong." he added as he placed his hands on her shoulders to stop her jumping. "Lunch."

"I am hungry." she nodded. "There is one thing about not being able to hear people's thoughts, though." she said to him as she headed to the kitchen with him. "If you're hiding something, I won't know."

"I'm sure after a while, you'll figure it out if I'm lying about something." he replied.

"True." she nodded. "Ianto, I'm so close to being able to stay." she said, getting excited again.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

"I feel fine." she answered, looking at him as though he were crazy. "And how do you feel?"

"It's just that, if your blood is changing, you're probably changing as well." he said.

"I don't feel any different than I did last night, really I don't." she said. "I feel tired from that stupid little test, but I feel good otherwise."

"Good." Ianto said. "I'd hate to think we've gone through all this just to have it turn out you're turning into some weird little monster."

"I'm not." Faith said as she came to stand in front of Ianto. "I feel fine." she added. "To be honest, I'm hoping that if I am turning into anything, I'm becoming more human."

"Is that what's happening?" he asked.

"It might be, I don't know." she shrugged. "An alien girl can hope, can't she?" she laughed.

"You're not the only one hoping." he said as he looked down at her.

"Ianto Jones, you want to kiss me, don't you?" she asked with a devilish grin.

"I hope Owen and Tosh came up with something really good for that nasty little habit of yours." he sighed. "You can take the fun out of things doing that."

"Sorry." she said, trying her best to look it.

"You should be." he said as he began to lean forward.

"Ahem." Jack cleared his throat from the doorway. "We thought we'd head to the pub for lunch." he said, looking back and forth between Ianto and Faith. "It would give her a chance to try out what Tosh and Owen came up with."

"Sounds good." Ianto said. "Up for it?"

"Of course." she answered, trying not to laugh at Jack. "Might be the last time I go anywhere." she added.

"True." Jack said before leaving the room, leaving Faith and Ianto staring after him.

* * *

**Notes: Okay, not my best chapter, but I'm drugged. I had picked out someone, or rather my cats had, for Faith, but a reviewer mentioned something that intrigued me...a J.I.F(Jack/Ianto/Faith)ship...interesting me thinks...anywho, I'll think on that, hope you like this chapter.**


	11. Chapter 11

"Here, put this on." Owen said as he tossed a silver chain to Faith.

"What is it?" she asked as she held it up. A silver chain with a small, silver disk-like object danlging from it.

"That's what Tosh and I came up with." Owen answered. "Our little trip out to lunch will be a good chance to see if it works."

"What's it supposed to do?" Ianto asked as he helped Faith put the necklace on.

"It should block out most, if not all, of the voices she was picking up." Tosh said. "Remember last month when we found that stash of alien tech?" she asked. "Well, one of the things we found was this little device that blocks mental transmissions." she went on as Ianto nodded.

"So, I can go outside without having to worry about having everyone's thoughts and conversations running through my mind?" Faith asked as she fingered the small disk.

"That's the theory." Owen said.

"So, where did you come in?" she asked Owen. "Tosh is the tech genius, you're a doctor."

"I helped work some of your DNA into your little trinket there." he said. "That, and I helped her come up with a way to make sure you don't slip it off."

"And what way is that?" she asked nervously.

"A small electrical charge." Owen smiled.

"So, if she takes it off, she'll be fried?" Ianto asked as he eyed Tosh and Owen, not at all happy with their solution to Faith removing the necklace.

"It's not enough to really hurt her." Tosh said. "It's just a bit of a jolt."

"If she takes it off completely, all the voices that will inevitably be locked inside will all sound in her head at the same time." Owen said.

"Oh, so I won't be fried, I'll just have my head explode." Faith said dryly. "Quite reassuring."

"What if something happens and the necklace breaks?" Ianto asked.

"What if someone mugs me and tries to take it off me?" Faith put in.

"Well, that's something we didn't quite consider." Tosh confessed.

"If it can shock me if I try to take it off, what happens when I take a shower or a bath?" Faith asked, an abundance of questions coming to mind.

"What if she gets stuck in the rain?" Ianto added.

"All right." Owen said. "Not fool-proof yet."

"How did we not think of that?" Tosh asked, feeling rather embarassed by their lack of forethought.

"Well, weather is nice now, and I'm hungry." Jack said. "Let's go."

"They're not filling me with confidence." Faith whispered to Ianto as they headed out.

"They'll come up with a solution." he assured her. "Don't worry."

"Easy for you to say." she mumbled. "You're not the one who will either be fried or have their head explode."

* * *

"I hope you don't mind." Gwen said as they pulled up outside the chosen pub. "I told Rhys to meet us." 

"No, not at all." Jack said. "I'm glad you're trying to keep your home life as normal as possible." he told her. "It's not easy, I'm sure."

"No, but having him know what I do now, that's a huge help." she smiled. "I see him." she said as she got out. "Rhys!" she called as she headed off towards him.

"Oh, so that's Rhys." Faith said as she climbed out. "He's rather cute."

"He's all right." Ianto shrugged. "If you like the football playing type."

"There is definitely something about the alien fighting, tea making type though." she said with a smile. "Not sure which is more appealing though." she added with a laugh, earning her a disapproving look from Ianto.

"How's the necklace working so far, Faith?" Tosh asked as the entered the pub.

"Good so far." Faith answered with a smile. "Not one word has popped into my head so far." she said. "Well, at least none that shouldn't be there. Obviously I can hear those people talking here, but nothing to disturbing so far."

"Wait until some get a few drinks into them." Owen said.

"Not you though." Jack said. "You and Tosh need to work out those kinks."

"How did you not think of those things when you were coming up with this?" Ianto asked as he pulled out Faith's chair for her and took his own.

"It's Tosh's fault." Owen said. "She brought a bottle of wine."

"I didn't force you to drink any." Tosh pointed out.

"I think she was trying to get me drunk so she could take advantage of me." Owen said. "Can't blame her though." he added with a chuckle.

"This is great." Faith told Ianto. "I can't hear anyone's thoughts." she said, beaming.

"Rhys." Jack said with a smile as Gwen walked over with her fiance. "How've you been?"

"Fine." Rhys answered as he sat down next to Gwen. "No funny meat as of late, so that helps."

"Rhys, this is Faith." Gwen said when she saw him looking at the other woman in some confusion. "She's a sort of project at the moment."

"A project?" Faith asked. "What a sweet way of describing me."

"It's nice to meet you." Rhys said as he held out his hand, hoping to stop any argument that might break out.

"And you." Faith said as she shook his hand.

"So how do you know this lot?" he asked.

"I was sort of stalking Ianto." she answered honestly.

"Oh, I see." he said, looking at her oddly.

"They're trying to make it so I can stick around." she added with a smile.

"You want your stalker to stick around?" he asked Ianto.

"She sort of grows on you." Ianto answered.

"Like a fungus." Owen said.

"Mushrooms are very popular." Faith pointed out. "So, I'm taking that as a compliment."

"Take it as you want, I'm going to get a drink." he said.

"Good idea." Jack said as he stood up. "What will you ladies have?"

"A white wine." Tosh said.

"Gin and tonic." Gwen added.

"I've never had alcohol." Faith said as she considered what to have.

"Maybe just a Coke or some water." Ianto suggested.

"No, I want to have something good." she argued. "I'll try what Tosh and Gwen are having."

"Gin and tonic and a glass of wine?" Ianto asked. "I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Why?" Faith asked.

"You're not used to alcohol, you'll be pissed in no time." Owen said, rather impatiently, wanting to get to the bar.

"Fine then, I'll try a glass of wine." Faith conceded. "That should be safe, right?"

"Yes. Should be." Jack nodded. "Shall we?" he asked as he and the other guys went off to order the drinks.

"That Faith seems like a nice girl." Rhys said as they stood at the bar waiting to order their drinks.

"Oh yeah." Owen said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "She's a real peach." he added gesturing to his nose.

"She does have her moments." Jack said.

"She has more than "her moments", Rhys." Ianto said. "She is very nice."

"As long as you're the sucker she chose tostalk." Owen said. "Looks like some nice guys saved us the trouble of getting the girls their drinks." he added as he pointed to their table.

"Oh, come on." Rhys grumbled. "We're here barely five minutes, and already blokes are sendin' 'em drinks?" he shook his head. "Ridiculous."

"Especially since they walked in with a group of men." Ianto added as he watched them men smile and tip their bottles of beer in the direction of their table.

"Like they care." Owen said. "Most men see a nice looking woman, let alone three, walk into a room, they couldn't care less if they came in with a guy."

"It's rude is what it is." Rhys said as he took his and Gwen's drinks and headed back to the table, shooting a warning glance the other men's way.

"Sorry I interrupted earlier." Jack said quietly to Ianto.

"What?" he asked.

"Earlier, in the kitchen, before we came here." Jack said.

"Oh, of course." Ianto muttered.

"Bad timing on my part." Jack said, half joking.

"I'm sure." Ianto said as he impatiently waited.

"Last night you said you hadn't fallen for her." Jack pointed out.

"I didn't realize that one almost kiss meant we were getting ready to send out an announcement for a June wedding." Ianto replied. "One kiss doesn't mean much, you of all people should know that, Jack." he said as he took his and Faith's drinks and headed back to the table.

"Trouble in Paradise?" Owen asked.

"Have you come up with a way of making sure Faith isn't fried or that her head doesn't explode?" Jack snapped.

"Not yet." Owen replied, feeling less smug.

"Until you do, keep your snide little remarks to yourself." Jack said as he grabbed his beer and headed back.

"Woman is more of a pain than she's bloody worth." Owen muttered grabbing his own drink.

* * *

"I like white wine." Faith said as she plopped down onto Ianto's sofa. 

"So I gathered." he said with a sigh. She had had five of them, along with a few beers when no one was looking, against his advice, and not being used to it, was properly sloshed.

"It was nice of Jack to let me leave the hub." she mumbled. "I love this little necklace." she said as she played with the silver chain. "I just hope it doesn't fry me." she added with a giggle.

"So do I." Ianto said as he started to make a pot of coffee.

Jack had only let Ianto bring Faith back to his flat, complete with a shiny new door, on the condition that he not let her out of his sight and that if he was told, he would bring her directly back to the hub.

"I wonder if I'llbe lucky enough for all the weird blood stuff just to turn out..." Faithpaused to hiccup. "Where was I?" she said.

"Weird blood." he reminded her.

"Oh yesh.. that." she went on. "To have it be that I'm becoming like you." she laughed. "Well not like you...but like you." she said. "Like as in a human, not like you as in a man human."

"Here, drink some coffee." Ianto said as he handed her a cup.

"I'd rather have a beer." she told him as she hiccupped again.

"I don'tthink that's a good idea." he said. "Drink up."

"Oh, what on earth did you put in this?" she asked as she spit the coffee back into the cup.

"Just a few things to help with the headache and nausea you'll be experiencing soon enough." Ianto answered."Come on, you can sleep in my room." he said as he held his hand to help her off the sofa.

"Thank you." she said as she took his offered hand."I hope they don't call for a long time." she said as she stumbled into the bed. "I do like this little necklace though." she added as she curled up in the blankets. "Owen and Tosh are quite nifty, be even niftier if they figure out a way to make sure I don't die because of it."

"They will." Ianto said as he put a bottle of water and a couple of asprin on the nightstand.

"I wish Jack hadn't walked in earlier." she said as she grabbed his hand before he could move away.

"So do I." he said as he smiled down at her.

"He's not here now though." she pointed out.

"True." he said as he sat down next to her.

"I bet you're a very good kisser." she said as she sat up.

"I've yet to have anyone complain." Ianto said with a smile as he leaned and kissed Faith.

"Oh god." she said as she moved quickly away and grabbed the trash can he had next to the bed and continued to get sick.

"Well that's never happened before." he mutterd as he handed her a tissue.

"I'm sorry." she said as she took the offered tissue. "Stupid bloody wine and beer." she groaned as she became sick again.

"Well, it's a first kiss that's hard to forget." Ianto said as he held her hair back as she was sick yet again.


	12. Chapter 12

Ianto woke up to the sound of his mobile going off on the night stand next to his bed.Groaning, he rolled over and looked at the clock. 7:15 a.m. Sighing, he picked up the phone.

"Hello." he said sleepily.

"Bring Faith back to the hub." Jack's voice said on the other end.

"Why?" Ianto asked, sitting up, looking over at Faith who was still fast asleep. "What's going on?" 

"Nothing." Jack said. "Tosh and Owen have apparently come up with something for her little necklace."

"Okay, we'll be there in let's say, an hour." Ianto said before hanging up. "Faith." he said as he genlty shook her.

"Mmmm...go away." she mumbled.

"You have to wake up." he said as he got out of bed.

"No." she said. "Too early, too tired." she added as she buried her head under her pillow.

"Tosh and Owen figured out something for your necklace." he told her as he rummaged through his dresser.

"Make them come here." was her muffled reply.

"I'm going to take a shower and get dressed, I expect you to be up when I come out of the bathroom." he said.

Faith fought the urge to fall backasleep as she heard the shower turn on. She just lay there, curled up and about to dose back off when she heard the shower turn off. She forced herself to sit up and swing her legs over the edge of the bed. Her head was pounding and it felt as though she'd had sucked on a ball of cotton all night.

"Well, you're upright." Ianto said as he walked out of the bathroom, wrapping a towel around his waist. 

"I feel ucky." she said as she hung her head.

"Take the asprin." he told her. "Then go take a shower."

"You're quite bossy." Faith said as she swallowed three asprin and stood up.

"Yes, I am." he agreed as he walked over and shooed her to the bathroom. "Go, you stink."

"Bossy and rude." she remarked. "Very unattractive." she said as she closed the door behind her.

Ianto started getting dressed, and had just pulled on a pair of boxers when the bathroom door opened and Faith popped her head out.

"Would you rather have me stink, or be a fried corpse on your bathroom floor?" she asked.

"Damn." he said.

"I suppose I could do a sort of sponge bath." she said, looking around the bathroom. "I'll try that." she decided. "My smell is getting to me. Damn alochol." she muttered as she closed the door again. 

"Be careful." Ianto called.

"If you want to help, you're more than welcome." she called back.

"I don't think that would be a good idea." he said as he finished getting dressed.

"Do you have any more clothes?" he asked.

"Nope." she answered simply.� "I didn't steal that many when I got here."

"You stole those clothes?" he asked.

"I thought it was better than running around Cardiff as a naked woman." she explained.� "I thought that might draw too much attention."

"That it would." he agreed.� "I threw some of my jogging pants and a shirt on the bed for you." he said.� "I'm going to make some coffee."

"You jog?" she called after him.

"Once in a while, when I've time." he called back.

"Interesting." she muttered as she continued her little sponge bath.� "Ow!" she screamed when some water splashed her neck.

"What's wrong?" Ianto asked as he ran into the bathroom.� 

"The little jolt Tosh mentioned." Faith answered, wincing.� "That hurts."� she said as she turned to look at Ianto.

"I think you should just give up on that." Ianto said.� "I'd rather have you stink than be that fried corpse you mentioned earlier."

"Aww, how sweet." Faith teased.��

"I just need to get dressed and then I'll be ready." she said as she pulled on the jogging pants.� 

"I think a shopping day is required soon." Ianto said as he came back in once she'd dressed and handed her a cup of coffee.

"Oh, thank you." she said, taking a drink and swallowing it without making a face.� She stopped in mid sip when she heard�the rumble of thunder overhead and large raindrops start splashing against the windows. "Oh, that's not good." she said.

"That's one way of putting it." Ianto agreed as he went to the window.� 

"Well at least you won't have that fried corpse on your bathroom floor." she said.� "Always look on the bright side."

"Come with me." Ianto said as he headed to the kitchen.

"What are you thinking?" she asked as she set her cup down on the counter.

"Cling wrap." he said, turning around and holding up a roll.

"Umm, okay." she said.

"I'll try to�wrap your necklace as best I can, then we'll bundle you�up in a coat." he said as he tore a piece off.

"Will this�work?" she asked.

"Should work enough to get to the car." he said as he began to wrap the chain.

"Fingers crossed." she said as she held her hair up out of his way.� 

After a few minutes of carefully applying cling wrap, Ianto stepped back and smiled.��

"That should do for now." he said as he went to the closet.� "Put this on."�he said as he pulled�out a coat and handed it to her.

"Oh, I do hope so." she said as she pulled the coat on and zipped it up.� "I'm rather enjoying�being human and being around."

"So am I." Ianto said with a smile as he opened the door and stepped back for her to walk through.

"This is better." she said, returning his smile.� "Much better than bossy, rude Ianto from this morning."

"How's the hangover?" he asked as they stopped at the main entrance of the building.

"Better." she shrugged.� "As long as I'm not getting sick, I'm�much happier."

"Good." he said as he pushed open the door.� "Let's make a�run for it." he said as they both ran out and headed for his car.

* * *

"Finally." Owen said as Ianto and Faith came in.� "You said an hour and it's been an hour and a half."

"I do apologize." Faith said.� "I just had a small problem with being zapped this morning while trying to give myself a sponge bath because I couldn't take a proper shower."

"That is something I would have been willing to help you out with." Owen said with a dirty little grin.

"Jack said you and Tosh had figured something out." Ianto said, shooting the doctor a look that wiped the grin off his face.

"Yes." Owen said, clearing his throat.� "If you'll just let me have that." he said as he waked forward.

"You said that if it was taken off, it'd either fry me or make my head explode." Faith said, stepping back, holding her hands over the necklace.

"Not if it's one of us." Owen said.� "I programmed all Torchwood memeber's DNA into it, so we can take it off you safely."

"You might have mentioned that before." Ianto said.

"Why?" Owen asked.

"Because then he could have taken it off me either before I went to take a shower, or before he wrapped it up so I could go out in the rain." Faith answered, taking off the coat and showing the necklace.

"Ha. Look at that." Owen said, laughing.� "God, even your cling wrap is freakishly neat."

"Just take the necklace and adjust it." Ianto said as he unhooked it� and handed it over.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed, didn't they." Owen mumbled as he headed off to join Tosh.

"Good morning." Jack said as he jogged down the stairs from his office.� "And, how are you enjoying your first hangover?" he asked with an arrogant little smile.

"I'm never touching alcohol again." Faith answered.

"A lot of men and some women will be sad to hear that." Jack said as he handed a folder to Gwen.

"What?" Faith asked.

"Nevermind." Ianto said, shaking his head.� "Has Owen run anymore tests on Faith's blood?" he asked.

"Yeah." Jack said.� "He'll fill us in when their done playing jeweler."

"So, I just sit around and wait?" Faith asked.

"Yeah, pretty much." he nodded.�� "How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Didn't you already ask me that?" she asked.

"No, I asked about your hangover." Jack answered.� "I meant, right now, without the necklace."

"Fine." she shrugged.� "Just a little murmur here in the hub."

"Interesting." Jack said as he stared at the woman for a minute.

"Is it?" she asked, feeling a bit uneasy.� 

"Yup." he said, then quickly turned away.

"Is he on something?" she asked Ianto as they both watched the other man walk off.

"Not that I know of." he answered.� 

"Just a few more minutes and you can have this back." Tosh said.� 

"Then we can chat about that blood of yours." Owen added.

"Faith." Gwen said as she walked over, smiling.

"Gwen." Faith replied.

"From what I gather, you're going to be around for�a while." she said.

"I hope so." Faith said.� "Have you heard something?"

"Just snippets here and there." Gwen shrugged.� "But, if you are, maybe you and I can do something."

"A little girly bonding?" Faith asked, tilting her head to one side and smiling.� "You have a lot of girlfriends." she said.� "You just want to be buddy buddy with me because you're afraid I migh tell Rhys something."

"I was just trying to be nice." Gwen said, smile fading.� "You're new here, Ianto is your only friend so far."

"You had mixed motives." she replied.� "I don't have the necklace on, so I can read your mind." she reminded the other woman.

"I would appreciate if you keep what you know to yourself." Gwen whispered.� "I can't lose Rhys."

"Perhaps you should have thought of that before hopping into bed with Owen." Faith whispered back.� 

"I don't think he'd be able to forgive me." Gwen added pleadingly.

"He should be able to make that decision himself, don't you think?" Faith asked as Owen came over and handed the necklace back to her.

"Okay, we've worked out the kinks." he said.

"You're sure?" Ianto asked, looking back and forth between Faith and Gwen.� He needed to keep an eye on them, he thought.

"Yes." Owen nodded.�� "Tosh worked her techincal magic."

"She could have worked voodoo magic for all I care." Ianto said.

"Voodoo?" Faith asked.

"It's a religion of sorts." Ianto answered.� 

"I'm going to have to do a lot of reading." she said as�she struggled with the clasp on her necklace, Ianto taking over for her.

"I need to get back to work." Gwen said nervously.

"My blood tests?" Faith asked Owen, ignoring Gwen.

"Yeah, about those." he answered, sounding a little unsure.

"What?" she asked.

"Your blood keeps changing." he said, repeating what he'd already said.� "But, it seems to be becoming more human."

"Really?" Faith asked, hope obvious in her voice.

"Yes." he said.� "But, I'm going to continue doing these blood tests regularly."

"Does that mean I'll be able to stay?" she asked, on the verge of jumping for joy.

"Jack?" Owen called.

"You've passed the tests I set for you." Jack said.� "And your blood is changing, but into something more human in nature." he added.� "As long as we can monitor you, I think it should be safe."

"Oh, yes!" Faith squeeled as she started to literally jump for joy, bouncing to Ianto and throwing her arms around him in a hug.� "I get to stay!" she said.

"I know." he said, smiling.

"Here, a little present." Tosh said as she handed Faith an envelope.

"What is this?" she asked as she opened it.� "Faith�Elizabeth Madden." she read out loud.� "Born 20th of April, 1986." she started jumping again.� "It's a birth certificate." she showed it to Ianto. 

"April 20th?" he asked.

"My idea." Owen said.

"Why does that not surprise me?" Ianto asked as he rolled his eyes.

"Is that a bad day?" Faith asked, completely lost.

"You'll find out when you read up." Ianto said.

"So, now with this, you can get a job." Jack said. "Your own flat." he added.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you." Faith said as she hugged Tosh and Owen in turn.� "My little necklace isn't going to fry me, I don't hear voices in my head anymore, and now I'm officially a human."

"At least you look like one and have a birth certificate." Jack corrected.� "Most humans don't need to wear a necklace to block out voices that would otherwise drive them insane."

"Oh, whatever." she said as she held up her papers.� "I get to stay."

"I think we should celebrate." Tosh said.

"So do I." Ianto agreed.

"How about tonight, we all meet at that new Italian place." Tosh suggested.

"Sounds good." Ianto said as he watched Faith practically vibrate with joy.

"Rhys and I are having friends 'round." Gwen said. "Maybe some other time."

"That means I can go shopping, and I'll actually have a use for the stuff." Faith said.� "Other than the fact that I have no money." she added, her face falling a bit.

"You've a birthday coming up, if I'm not much mistaken." Tosh said.� "We can have a girl's day out and it'll be on me, your birthday gift."

"Oh, thank you, that's so sweet." Faith said giving Tosh another hug.� "You're sure you don't mind my staying with you?" she asked Ianto.

"No, I want you to." he answered honestly.� 

"Thank you." she said, giving him a hug.

"Well, now that that 's taken care of." Jack said as he watched Ianto and Faith.� "We have some work to do." he added.� "You and Tosh go off and have your girl's day." 

"You're sure?" Tosh asked. 

"Yeah, if we need you we can call." Jack assured her. "She needs to get out of Ianto's pants.� They don't really suit her."

"Okay." Tosh said as she grabbed her purse.� "You ready?" she asked.

"Yeah, I am." Faith said as she looked at Jack, not really caring for his last statement.

"See you later." she told Ianto before following Tosh out.

* * *

**Notes:� Okay, so that part is done, and I've come up with a couple of more things for Faith and the Torchies...just need to decide which should come first, a fun night out, or more aliens...Hope you enjoy, and thanks for the reviews for this and all the other chapters!**

�


	13. Chapter 13

"This place has the best seafood." Tosh said as she and Faith sat down at a table by the large window overlooking the street outside.

"I'll take your word for it." Faith said. "The only kind of seafood I've had so far has been a can of tuna."

"Well this is much better." Tosh assured her. "I'd try the salmon." she suggested.

"Okay." Faith said as she closed her menu and looked out the window. 

The sky had cleared up quite nicely since she and Ianto made their mad dash earlier that morning. So far, shopping with Tosh had been quite a bit of fun. She'd picked out a few things and was wearing some of her purchases as they sat waiting for their order to be taken. The dark colored jeans and yellow sweater looked and fit much better than Ianto's jogging clothes that were at least two sizes too large for her.

"So, what are your plans now that you know you're sticking around?" Tosh asked.

"First off, get a job." Faith said. "Can't go on mooching off Ianto forever." she added. "How hard will it be for me to find one, do you think?"

"Well, since you've no work experience at all, it might be a bit tricky." Tosh confessed. "But, I'm sure there's something out their for someone who is looking for their first job."

"Let's hope." Faith said as the waiter came over and took their orders.

"No wine with lunch today?" Tosh asked with a laugh.

"Never again so long as I live." Faith answered, shaking her head. "Foul stuff."

"Not so bad if you take do it in moderation." Tosh said, laughing again. 

"Can I ask you something?" Faith asked.

"Of course." Tosh answered, smiling.

"Why Owen?" she asked.

"Why Ianto?" Tosh asked back.

"That's easy." Faith answered. "He's got a long list of admirable qualities." she said. "Although, those weren't why I first decided on him, I have to admit."

"The leeching thing." Tosh said, shaking her head. 

"Yes, at first." Faith said. "Do I get an answer?" she pressed.

"I don't know." Tosh shrugged. "He can be so annoying, cynical, sarcastic, self-absorbed."

"Why, I hadn't noticed." Faith said rolling her eyes.

"But sometimes he can be quite sweet." Tosh added. "I think part of it too, is that I see him everyday." 

"So, you're familiar with him, so you cling to him?" Faith asked, trying to grasp it.

"Yes." Tosh said. "Soundsquite pathetic."

"It does." Faith said, not even thinking. "I'm sorry. It's just that you are very nice, you could do much better."

"I'm not really most men's idea of a dream woman." Toshsaid. "I work all the time, and most people find what I do boring." she pointed out. "Besides, the last few times I've been interested in someone, it hasn't really turned out so well, for either party."

"Did you know there's a man a few tables back, looking at you?" Faith asked as she looked over at the man.

"What?" Tosh asked, turning slightly so she could see. A tall man, light brown hair, in an expensive looking leather jacket was smiling over. "He's probably looking at you." she saidi dismissively.

"He didn't smile until you turned around." Faith pointed out. 

"But you're the one he can see." Tosh argued. "He's probably checking you out."

"Let's see." Faith said as she stood up.

"What are you doing?" Tosh asked.

"I'm going to ask." Faith answered as she went off towards the man's table. 

Tosh turned back around, almost knocking a glass of water off their table. She couldn't believe Faith was doing this. How embarassing.

"Tosh, I'd like you to meet Alun." Faith said as she reappeared at the table. "Alun, this is my friend, Tosh."

"It's nice to meet you." the man said nervously.

"He was looking at you." Faith said in an I told you so sort of way.

"I'm sorry about this." Tosh said, face turning beet red.

"You two sit and chat." Faith said. "I'll be right back." 

"Your friend is," he thought a moment. "Unique."

"Yes. That she is." Tosh said with a nervous smile.

"Although, to be honest, I'm rather glad she came over." he said.

"What?" Tosh asked.

"I'm not good approaching attractive women." he blurted out. "I usually need someone to give me a prod into doing anything."

"Oh, I see." Tosh said, thinking he wasn't very interested, Faith just scared him into this.

"Do you have that problem?" he asked.

"Sometimes." Tosh answered, smiling weakly.

"I'm Alun Flewelling." he said as he held out his hand.

"Toshiko Sato." she said, shaking his hand.

"Japanese?" he asked.

"Yes." she nodded, as she caught a glimpse of Faith waving from the bar.

"It's kind of a habit of mine." he said. "When I hear a name, I try to figure out nationality." he laughed. "I'm a bit of a nerd at times, sorry."

"Oh that's nothing." Tosh said. "You should hear me go on about computers."

"You know something about computers?" Alun asked.

"Yes." she nodded.

"I'm mad about them." he informed her happily.

"Really?" Tosh asked, feeling a little more at ease. "Have you read abou the latest..."

Faith sat at the bar and smiled to herself. If nothing else she could hire herself out as a matchmaker. 

* * *

"Did you have fun shopping and talking about us handsome blokes?" Owen asked as Tosh came into the hub.

"Don't you have work to do?" she asked as she took her coat off and tossed it on the back of her chair.

"She didn't drink anything, did she?" Ianto asked as he walked over.

"No, she wouldn't touch a drop." Tosh assured him. "I dropped her back at your place." she said. "That's not a problem I hope."

"No, so long as she doesn't try to cook." he said. "Thank you for taking her out shopping." he added. "Shopping with women isn't really my cup of tea."

"Don't mention it." she said. "It wasquite fun actually." she added as she turned on her computer monitor. "Embarassing at one point, but fun."

"What did she do?" he asked, worried at what Tosh might describe. 

"She dragged a man over to our table when were having lunch." she answered, blushing again.

"Why?" he asked.

"To introduce him to me." Tosh answered. "He was actually quite nice."

"Oh, okay then." he said, smiling. "Will I be able to get in the door when I go home?" he asked. "Or will the boxes and bags keep me out?"

"She only got a few outfits and some shoes." Tosh laughed. "She wouldn't get much more than that. Said she felt weird about me buying her the stuff."

"Well it's more than she had before." he said. "Thanks again."

"Don't forget, tonight. Say, 7:30?" she called after him as he walked off.

"Sure." he said,stopping and turning around. "Who all is going to be there?"

"I will." Owen said.

"Don't worry, I won't deprive you of my wonderful presense." Jack said with one of his "I'm so cute" smiles.

"Like I said earlier, Rhys and I are having friends round." Gwen said, not wanting to spend more time than she had to with Faith. Especially not with Rhys in tow.

* * *

**Notes: Okay, I had some free time here in the afternoon, so here's a little chapter, at least little in comparison to what I normally type out. Not sure if I'm going to do out the celebration dinner, or just skip ahead to the team's night out...Hope you enjoy, I might update again tonight if I have time. **


	14. Chapter 14

It had been three weeks since Faith found she was going to be able to stay in Cardiff. On Earth. She had been so excited that first week. The excitement faded a bit as she found that getting herself a job of any sort was nearly impossible. It wasn't as though she were looking for anything big. Just enough to be able to pay her way, just a little, so that Ianto wasn't completely responsible for her. 

She finally had luck when she was so close to giving up. She'd been hired, more for her looks than any skill she may have had at the time, as a front desk clerk at the Sandringham Hotel. She might have only gotten the job because the man who interviewed her was rather a pervert, but she was bound and determined to do a good job. 

She waswalking into the hub to drop off some clothes to Ianto. Apparently they'd come across a rather slimy alien down in the sewers and he was in need of fresh clothes.The alien, and the fact he was walking along in some ungodly muck. She hoped he'd showered already.

"I told you to duck." she could hear Jack saying as she walked in carrying a dry cleaner's bag with one of Ianto's many suits.

"It doesn't count if you say it after a person's been slimed." Ianto retorted.

"Ah, but you said I didn't tell you to duck." Jack pointed out. "Technically, I did."

"Well, in the future, saying something beforehand would be much appreicated." Ianto said as he rubbed his hair with a towel. He still smelled a bit. From the sewers or the goo, he wasn't sure.

"Someone ordered some clothes?" Faith said as she walked over. "Good god you stink." she said as she held the bag out to him, keeping her distance.

"It's nice to see you too." Ianto said dryly. "It's all Jack's fault, so you can blame him."

"So I heard." she said as she looked over at Jack who was watching her.It was rather unnerving when he did that. "Did anyone else get slimed or whatever?" she asked.

"Owen did as well." Ianto said. "Of course, he was off on his own and didn't have Jack to give him any warnings."

"I told you to duck." Jack muttered.

"Let's not get into all this again." Gwen said as she came walking up out the area of the cells. "You two have been bickering since we got back."

"It's not been a ball being around you guys today." Owen said as he walked up from the autopsy room.

"Speaking of balls.." Jack said, snapping his fingers and heading off up to his office.

"What was that?" Faith asked.

"Dunno." Ianto said as he neatly folded the towel he'd been using on his hair.

"We've been invited to one." Jack said as he came back down, holding large envelopes.

"To a ball?" Gwen asked, rather excited at the idea.

"Yes." Jack said handing her an envelope. "Mayor is having a ball to celebrate something or other, and as dutiful citizens of the city, we've been invited." he added as he handed out the three remaining envelopes to Ianto, Tosh and Owen.

"In other words," Owen said opening his. "We've saved the city enough times, we're eligible to go dance, eat and drink as much as we can while all dolled up."

"Pretty much, yeah." Jack nodded. "We're each allowed one guest."

"And it's themed." Tosh said as she finally took a second from her computer to look at her invitation. "1940's. Well now I can see how authentic it really is." she said with a smile.

"See almost getting caught in the Cardiff blitz had a purpose." Jack quipped.

"I've seen some movies from the '40's." Faith said as she looked at the invitation Ianto handed to her. "I love those movies."

"The movies are nothing to actually having lived back then." Jack said rather fondly. "Even with a war on, it was almost magical."

"So the theme is to celebrate a time when nations were at war, a madman was trying to wipe out entire races of people and rationing was driving people mad." Owen said. "Sounds like the setting for such a fun evening."

"I think it's more to do with celebrating the will of the people back then." Tosh said with a sigh. "Nations coming together under such strained circumstances."

"Well, whatever it is." Owen said as he tucked his envelope in his back pocket. "It's free food and booze, so I'm there."

"That's the spirit." Jack said dryly. "It's only a week from today, so that should give everyone plenty of time to find dates and get their outfits ready."

"I've got a few numbers I can call." Owen said with a smile.

"Well, obviously it'll be Rhys with me." Gwen said. "How 'bout you, Tosh?" 

"I've got someone in mind." Tosh said, smiling.

"Is it a certain someone from a restaurant?" Faith teased.

"Perhaps." Tosh replied, turning quickly back to her computer as the others stared at her with smiles.

"It's at 8:00." Ianto said to Faith. "Do you have to work that night?"

"I don't think so." she answered, looking at the date on the invitation. "Nope." she said more sure. "I've that day and the next off actually."

"Well then, I've got my escort." Ianto said.

"What about you, Jack?" Gwen asked, always curious about what he was up to and with who since he and Ianto were rather on the outs.

"Dunno." he shrugged. "How do you think Janet would look in '40's garb?" he asked.

"If you avoid strapless, I think it might work." Faith said, actually picturing the Weevil in an array of dresses.

"Noted." Jack said with a nod before heading back up to his office.

"I really hope we don't see a sedated Janet in a fancy dress." Owen muttered.

"We'd have to retcon the whole place." Gwen said. "I think that'ssomething people would remember and talk about." 

"Do we have that much retcon for one night?" Tosh asked.

* * *

"Boy, you had to go all out for this didn't you, Jack?" Owen asked as he stood drinking a glass of wine near the doors to the room where the Mayor's ball was being held.

"It is quite a stretch of imagination." Jack nodded as he took a glassfrom a passing waiter, checking out the man's behind as he walked by, nodding appreciatively.

"Hey, guys." Tosh said walking up on the arm of a man niether Jack or Owen knew.

"Toshiko, you look great." Jack said with a smile.

"Yeah, wonderful." Owen said, but looking at the man standing next to Tosh.

"Oh, this is Alun Flewelling." Tosh said following Owen's gaze. "Alun, this is Jack, and Owen."

"Nice to meet you." Alun said with a smile, shaking Jack's hand, then holding his hand out to Owen who ignored the gesture.

"Anyone seen Gwen and Rhys?" Tosh asked, looking around. "I want to see what they came up with."

"Nope, haven't seen 'em." Owen said, downing his wine and grabbing another glass. 

"I see your friend from the restaurant." Alun said, nodding over to where Faith and Ianto had just walked in.

"Bloody hell," Owen said. "It looks like they just walked out of an old Cary Grant film."

"They do look good, don't they?" Jack said with a smile.

"Hello." Faith chirped as she walked up. "Oh, hello, Alun." she said with a wink to Tosh.

"You two look brilliant!" Tosh said as she looked both of them over.

"Faith's doing." Ianto said. "She's become addicted to those old movies."

"Thank you." Faith laughed as she looked around. It looked like the old night clubs she saw in those movies she had infact become addicted to. And the music is what she loved most. Glenn Miller played in the background. 

"People are starting to dance." Alun said to Tosh. "Want to take a spin around the floor?"

"Sure." she answered as she took his arm and went off.

"Ianto.." Faith smiled. "Please?"

"Fine." he sighed as he let himself be dragged onto the floor by an eager Faith.

"So, where's your date?" Jack asked Owen.

"She should be here soon." Owen said. "She had to work a little late."

"Last minute request for a lap dance?" Jack asked with a smile.

"You just think you're so funny, don't you?" Owen said looking annoyed. "And she doesn't do lap dances anymore."

Jack just laughed as he caught site of Gwen and Rhys. "Well don't you two look nice." he said as they walked over.

"Why did this bloody thing have to be themed?" Rhys groused. "I feel like an idiot." he said adjusting the hat he was wearing.

"You look great." Gwen said as she straightened his tie.

"She's right." Jack said witha wink.

"No Janet?" Gwen asked with a smile. 

"No, she doesn't like dancing in public." Jack said. "She's great when it's just the two of us though."

"Sadly, I could actually see that." Owen said.

"You should." Jack responded with a laugh. "She's quite light on her feet."

"Oh dear, this is gonna be a long night." Owen muttered.

"And since neither of us have dates, we can spend it together." Jack said with a smile. 

"Why didn't I just stay home?" Owen groaned.

"Free food and booze." Gwen reminded him.

* * *

A few hours later found the group sitting around their designated table. Gwen tired from Rhys actually dragging her out onto the floor, Ianto about to pass out from Faith's seemingly endless energy. Owen was well on his way to completely drunk, Jack laughing at him and Tosh and Alun had come back after a lengthy absense to find the table talking about what exactly they were getting up to.

"Oh, I love this song." Faith piped up when Glenn Miller's "In the Mood" started playing.

"You've said that about every song for the last three hours." Ianto said.

"Is that your way of saying you're not going to dance with me?" Faith asked.

"Yes." he said simply.

"Come on." Jack said. "I like this song, too."

"Thank you." Faith said as she took Jack's hand and was led onto the dance floor.

"Not jealous are ya?" Rhys asked Ianto as he popped a bit of cheese in his mouth.

"Rhys." Gwen said, swatting his arm.

"It's alright." Ianto said. "No, I'm not jealous." he told Rhys.

"I would be if Jack took my girl out on the floor." Rhys said.

"She's not really my girl." Ianto told him.

"Oh, sorry, I just assumed." Rhys said.

"They look good together." Alun said as he watched Jack and Faith move around the floor, some of the other couples moving off and watching them.

"Come on, Gwen." Rhys said, standing up. "Let's try to show your boss up."

"Okay." Gwen laughed as she followed Rhys.

"Tosh?" Alun said as he stood.

"Sure." she said with a smile.

"So, Faith's not your girl?" Owen asked.

"No." Ianto said.

"I thought. You two living together." Owen said as he picked food off Tosh's plate. "Seems like there's at least a little something..."

"She's been here for maybe a month, tops." Ianto said, losing his patience a bit. "She should date a few guys before jumping into anything."

"Sorry." Owen said as he watched the couples dancing. "What about you and Jack?" he asked.

"Has it ever occured to you that none of this is your business?" Ianto asked.

"Yes, but I ignore that." Owen said with a drunken grin.

"And that, ladies and gentlemen, was Glenn Miller's "In the Mood", one last dance left." the bandleader announced. "Another of Mr.Miller's classics, "Moonlight Serenade", hope you have enjoyed yourselves this evening."

"Jack's quite a good dancer." Faith said as she came back to the table and sat down.

"Not going to dance to the last song?" Ianto asked.

"I think everyone's worn out." she said with a sigh.

"Come on." Ianto said as he stood up. "Don't want you pouting." he said.

"Plus you don't want to be stuck at the table with Owen anymore." she laughed. "You don't have to you know?"

"I know." he said as he led her out onto the floor. "But, I'll do it to humor you."

"How kind." she said as they began to move to the slow, melodic music. "This has been so much fun." she said. "Thank you for bringing me."

"Not aproblem." he said as sheput her head on his shoulder and they continued to dance.

Jack just watched from thetable, Alun andToshhaddecided to leavealong with Gwen and Rhys. He thought about going over and cutting in, but decided against it.

"We could go out and have this dance if you want." Owen said as he leaned over, his breath almost strong enough to peel paint.

"Thanks, but I don'twant to have to drag you around the floor." Jack said.

"Fine, but I offered." Owen said as he stood up. "I'm off then."

"No arguments here." Jack said as he watched everyone stop and applaud the band at the end of the song.

* * *

**Notes: Okay, so there's the team's night out, not my best, but my mind is preoccupied by the next alien-centric chapter. **

**Jack and Faith are the focus of a grieving widow and her efforts to sort of reconnect with her husband. I got the basis of this next idea from a video game and I've had the images for this next comingchapter running through my head for two days now. I think it should be pretty good...Hope you enjoy this chapter..Thanks as always for the reviews.**


	15. Chapter 15

Faith stood outside the hotel where she worked and waited for Cad to come out so he could give her a lift home. It was 3:15 a.m. and she wanted nothing more than to just go home and crawl into bed. She leaned against the front fender of the hideous gold Ford Cortina that Cad had had passed down to him from his brothers.

"Oh please hurry." she muttered as she wrapped her coat around her a little more snugly. She stood with her chin buried in her chest, tapping her bare foot impatiently, having become annoyed with the heels she'd worn all day,when she felt something grab her from behind. Kicking and attempting toscream, she tried to fight off who ever was behind her to no avail as she was easily lifted off the ground.

"Hey stop!" she could hear Cad calling.Another shadow ran past her and slammed into Cad full force, knocking her would-be rescuer to the ground with a thud. 

Kicking with more force did her no good. She could only watch in horror as the second figure reached down to Cad's chest and with a blood-curding scream from the prone man, ripped Cad's heart from his chest. 

She bit down on her attacker's hand as hard as she could until she could taste blood and heard a scream behind her as she was dropped and shoved into the front of the car. Her head smacked into the front bumper of the car and then smacked on the ground. 

Groaning in pain, she tried to get to her feet when she was roughly tugged along by her arm. A sharp pain ripped through herand she could feelthe armpop out of its socket. She screamed in pain and saw lights come from somewhere.

"What's going on?" someone called. It was the security guard, Dave.

"Dave!" Faith called as her assailant tugged once more on her arm, dragging her along the cold pavement of the car park before finally giving up and taking off along with the thing that still loomed over Cad's body.

"Oh god." the guard said as he ran up and found Cad, large bloody hole in his once crisp, whtie shirt. "I'm calling the cops, don't worry." he said.

Faith said nothing, the pain and terror gripping her, she closed her eyes and passed out.

* * *

"Can we go home now?" Owen asked as the team walked back into the hub.

"Come on, you enjoyed it and you know it." Jack said as he took off his great-coat.

"Yes, chasing weevils around fishy smelling docks." Tosh said. "Nothing I enjoy more."

"And the way the smell of those fish clings to you." Gwen added. "I know it just drives Rhys wild."

"I'm going home." Ianto said. He'd been at the hub since five o'clock the previous morning and he just wanted to go home, take a shower to get rid of that putrid fish smell and go to sleep.

"It does get the blood pumping though." Jack said as they all started filing out.

"I'll give you that much." Owen said as he fished his mobile from his pocket and looked at the screen. "Hello?" he answered, recognizing the number as that of St.David's hospital.

"Good night." Ianto and the others said.

"Ianto, hold up." Owen said as he listened to the nurse on the phone. "All right, I'm on my way. No, I'll get hold of him. Don't worry." he added before hanging up.

"What now?" Ianto groaned.

"Faith's been admitted to St. David's." he said. "She and some bloke she works with were attacked in the car park behind the hotel." he explained. "Apparently she won't let them look her over."

"You can drive." Ianto said as he headed out. Owen's driving may normally drive him crazy, but he was fast and that wasn't such a bad thing just then.

* * *

"From what we can tell, she has a head injury, and what appears to be a dislocated shoulder." a Dr. Lassiter was telling Owen and Ianto as they walked along the corridor to Faith's room. "But she wouldn't let us examine her. Just kept saying she wanted her normal doctor." he said.

"She's rather picky about that." Owen said. 

"You can go in Dr.Harper." the doctor said. "I'm sorry, sir, are you family?" he asked Ianto.

"She doens't have any family." Ianto said rather numbly.

"He's the boyfriend." Owen told the doctor. "Closest thing she's got to family."

"All right." Lassiter said. "You can see her for a few minutes after her doctor has examined her, but you'll have to leave." he told Ianto. "It's well past visiting hours."

"I'll be as quick as I can." Owen told Ianto as he slipped into Faith's room. "Damn." he said as he looked at her. "You should have let them look you over."

"I was afraid they'd try to take blood, and mine isn't really that normal." Faith said trying not to cry. "I just want to go home..."

"I need to look at you." he said as he looked at her head and continued to examine her completely. 

"Ianto, you can come in." he said as he popped his head out the door.

"Who did this?" Ianto asked as he stepped in and saw Faith. Two large bumps on her forehead and a swollen lip from where she'd fallen onto the ground. Her left arm was in a sling.

"I don't know." she said. "The one who killed..." she cried. "Cad. It was a weevil." she muttered. "He tried to help." she sobbed harder.

"A weevil killed him?" Owen asked. 

"Yes." Faith nodded. 

"The weevil isn't who did this to you?" Ianto asked.

"No." she shrugged. "The thing that grabbed me had this..smell." she shivered. "I can't describe it. I tried to fight it off, but I couldn't. Then Cad came out..."

"It's all right." Ianto said as he sat on the bed next to her and hugged her.

"I just want to go home." she said, her face buried in Ianto's arm.

"You need to stay here overnight." Owen said. "I'm sorry, but those are some nasty bumps on your head. You've got a concussion. It's safer for you to be here."

"Is everything okay?" Dr. Lassiter asked from the doorway.

"Yeah." Owen said. "She's just a bit shaken. Not real keen on staying her in the hospital overnight, on her own."

"Is there anyway I could stay here?" Ianto asked.

"No, I'm sorry." Lassiter said, shaking his head. "After a certain hour, only medical staff."

"I'm her doctor, would it be possible for me to stay?" Owen asked.

"I suppose I could clear that, seeing as how you're her physician." the man agreed after a few moments deliberation.

"It's okay, Ianto." Owen said. "You go home, get some rest, you can come fetch her, let's say, 11:00 tomorrow morning." he looked over to Lassiter. "Is that all right by you?"

"Yes, that should work so long as everything goes well during her stay." the doctor agreed.

"Okay then." Ianto said reluctantly getting up. "Is that fine with you?" he asked Faith, who just nodded slowly. "Well then, I guess I'll see you around that time tomorrow." he said as he bent to give her a light kiss on the top of her head. "Good night." he said. "Thanks." he whispered to Owen before leaving.

"No problem." Owen replied. 

* * *

Owen sat in the chair in the corner of the room not able to sleep. Faith had finally drifted off after another long cry. He needed to get onto Jack about the weevil's attack, so he got up and quietly made his way to the door and out into the hall.

"How is she?"a pretty redheaded nurse asked as she walked by.

"Fine." he said. "Sleeping now."

"Good." she said. "Poor girl." she added before walking off.

Owen began walking around, trying to get a signal. He'd finally gotten one when screams rang out down two different corridors. Putting his phone back into his pocket, he headed off to investigate.

Walking along, he found nurses running into rooms, getting a few patients who were up back into rooms and locking doors behind them.

"What in the hell?" he asked as he rounded a corner and saw three weevils walking along obviously looking for something. Or someone. "Faith!" he said as he turned around and ran back the way he'd come.

Faith woke at the sound of screams and people running down the hall past her room. Very gingerly, she got up and went to the door and looked out to see people rushing past. It was then that a familiar smell hit her. The same one she'd smelled earlier, when she was grabbed from behind. 

Turning to her left, she could see what appeared to be a man walking towards her. He looked straight ahead, right at her, suddenly moving faster. She closed her door as the man came baring down her grunting and wheezing. Just before she could close the door, one of the man's arms reached into the room, not letting the door close. She tried to keep it closed, pressing her one good shoulder against the door,trying to use her feet to bar his entrance. 

She smacked his arm, punched it but it was no good. He was too strong and she was far too weak. "Owen!" she screamed as she fought to keep the door shut.

Owen rounded the corner and saw the struggle taking place at the door of Faith's room. 

"Get away." he called, pulling his gun. "Move!" he called again, the man not paying any attention. Finally, not knowing what else to do, he fired his gun and caught the man in the shoulder, causing him to fall away. 

Owen ran to Faith's door, getting a closelook at the man he realised that it wasn't a man. At least not anymore. It appeared to be a zombie of all things.Squeezing himself through the door, he locked it behind him. 

"What's going on?" she asked as she stumbled back onto the bed. 

"I have no idea." he said as he took out his phone. "Jack, get the others and get to the hospital, now!" he said.

"What's going on?" Jack asked on the other end.

"Now!" was all Owen said before hanging up. Going over to Faith's bed, he took a plastic bag from underneath. "Get dressed." he said as he tossed the bag to her.

"Okay." she said as she struggled to do as she was told.

"Oh hell." Owen said as he impatiently took over and dressed her himself. 

Normally Faith would have objected, but she was in no position to do so now. 

A thudding noise came from the other side of the door. Soon it turned into a banging and the door began to move slightly from the pressure.

"We need to get out of here." Owen muttered. "Stand behind me." he said making sure she was tucked behind him as he slowly opened the door and fired at the thing that stood in front of them, blocking their way. When it fell, he grabbed Faith's hand and ran.

"Owen, where are you?" he heard Jack's voice say in the earpiece he was still wearing.

"Second floor, east wing." Owen answered. 

"Fancy that." Jack said as he came flying around the corner in front of them. 

"Where are the others?" Owen asked.

"Trying to get people out." Jack answered. "There are a couple of people down, some weevils got to them." he said. "I'll take Faith and get her out of here, you go help with that." 

"Okay." Owen said nodding. 

"Come on." Jack said, grabbing her wrist. "This way." he added as he led her down a small corridor. 

"One of them is coming." Faith said, gritting her teeth in pain as they moved along, jostling her injured shoulder. "I can smell it."

"So can I." Jack replied as he opened the door to a supply closet and pushed her in, closing the door behind himself. "Be quiet." he whispered as they listened to footsteps approach. The smell of rotting flesh getting stronger as it approached. "Zombie?" Jack asked in a whisper.

Faith just nodded, burying her face in Jack's chest, trying to hold her breath. Jack held his as breath as well, listening and waiting for the zombie to pass. When the sound of footsteps and the smell of the thing had passed, Jack carefully opened the door, looked around and seeing no one, stepped out, ushering Faith along with him.

"This way." he whispered taking her hand once more. Silently they moved along to an intersection and not seeing or hearing anything, moved on, Jack in front again.

As soon as he'd taken one step, he felt a sharp blow to the side of his head before everything went black. Faith didn't have time to react at all before something covered her mouth and she felt her body go numb and her eyelids grow heavy and black surrounded her as well.

**Notes: I've high hopes for this latest little idea of mine. I hope you all enjoy! **


	16. Chapter 16

"We seem to have flushed them out." Gwen said as she and Ianto ran to meet Owen and Tosh.

"Weevils and zombies." Tosh said, shuddering at the thought. "I didn't know they ran in the same circles."

"Neither did I." Owen said. "Let's find Jack and he can probably fill us in."

"He does seem to have an uncanny knowledge of all things alien." Gwen said. "Where is he?"

"Dunno." Owen shrugged. "Haven't heard from him a while."

"Jack?" Ianto called into the wireless communicators they all had. "Where are you and Faith?"

No answer. Everyone waited a minute before trying again.

"Jack?" Owen tried, still no answer. They became nervous as all they heard was silence on the other end. He would have answered by now. "Let's split up and try to find them." he said. "You and Ianto take the top three floors of the hospital and Tosh and I will take the others." he ordered, automatically taking charge. "Meet back here in let's say half hour. Unless one of us finds them, then make sure to call and let us know, Tosh and I will do the same."

"Right." Ianto said, taking off for the elevators, Gwen right behind him.

Half an hour came and went, and still no sign of Jack or Faith.

"Where the hell are they?" Ianto muttered as he and Gwen rode the elevator back down to meet Owen and Tosh.

"Maybe he just went back to the hub." Gwen chimed in hopefully.

"He wouldn't have just taken off like that, and he would be answering." Ianto snapped.

"I'm trying to think of any hopeful answers." Gwen said, getting snappy right back. "I'm nervous as hell."

The elevator doors opened and they stepped out, hoping to see Jack and Faith standing with the other two. No luck. Owen and Tosh stood talking, both showing their worry.

"This really isn't good." Gwen said as they joined them. 

"So, suddenly a bevy of zombies and weevil's show up, attack Faith twice, now both she and Jack have vanished, along with the aforementioned zombies and weevils." Owen said summing up the events of the night, or rather morning.

"They were after them." Ianto muttered, the others turning to look at him with dread. "Jack and Faith were targets, weren't they?"

* * *

Jack woke up in pitch black. He literally coudn't see his hand in front of his face. He felt the ground where he sat and was able to make out cold concrete and something warm next to him. Leaning closer he was able to figure out it was Faith. He could smell that familiar vanilla scent that always lingered even after she left a room. 

"Faith?" he said as he felt around to see how she was laying. All he could tell was that she was on her left side, her injured side. Carefully he turned her so she was lying on her back next to him.

"Ow." Faith groaned as she came to. Opening her eyes made no difference because she only saw black. "Jack?" she asked as she groped to try to figure out her surroundings.

"I'm here." he said as he grabbed her passing hand.

"Where are we?" she asked, hissing as she struggled to sit up.

"I don't know." he answered as he tried in vain to see anything at all. "You okay?" he asked.

"You mean other than my shoulder and head?" she asked. "My head is killing me, and my face is burning."

Suddenly bright flourescent lights flickered and came on, bathing them in harsh light.

"Look, E.T's awake." they heard someone say. 

"Never seen a real alien up close." another voice said. "It just looks like a girl to me."

"That's what it wants you to think." the first voice responded.

"Hello?" Jack asked as he got to his feet. "Who's there? Where are you?"

"These two are supposed to help the boss?" the second voice asked with a laugh. "I wonder how."

"Find out soon enough." the first voice said. "Need to go tell the boss they're awake." the voice added, followed by the sound of footsteps receding.

"Jack." Faith said nervously.

"It's all right." he said as he moved around the room. White walls, white floor, white ceiling. No windows and no evident door. "Chloroform." he said when he turned to look at her.

"Excuse me?" she asked, completely lost.

"You said your face was burning." he explained. "They chloroformed you. It causes burns around the mouth."

"Oh. Lovely." she said as she gently touched the burns around her mouth. "Well, with lights, I assume you're still lost as to where we are?"

"Totally." he nodded. 

"Why do they want us?" she asked as she leaned back against the wall.

"To use us for something." he answered as he sat down next to her. "Apparently, the boss has plans for us."

"Why us and not the others?" she asked as she gently moved her left shoulder, wincing a bit at the pain.

"What do you and I have in common?" Jack asked. 

"Besides Ianto?" she asked.

"Yes." he answered, looking at her. "None of us is strictly human." he said, answering his own question.

"So, they want to exploit that for some reason neither of us have figured out yet." she said, slowly comprehending. "I just wanted to come to Earth, be able to stay and be happy." she said as she lowered her head into her one usable hand.

"Didn't think it would be that easy, did you?" Jack asked. "Look on the bright side." he said, putting a comforting arm around her shoulders. "You get to spend some time with me. Alone."

"Call me humorless, but I'm not in the mood for this right now, Jack." Faith said as she propped her head on his shoulder. "I just want to go home."

"I'll get you home." he promised.

"Ah, isn't that sweet?" they heard the first voice say sarcastically. "They're comin' together in their time of need."

"Enough to make a man cry." the second voice jeered. "You got a tissue, mate?"

"Sorry, I used 'em all up when I saw that commercial with the bunny." the other voice laughed as a door opened on the far wall.

"Come on." the second voice said, turning out to belong to a large burly man in a drab gray suit, completley bald.

"Who are you?" Jack asked as he got to his feet and stood in front of Faith.

"Oh, he's gonna play guard dog is he?" the other man said as he stepped into the room. The man and the voice didn't match at all. Deep, gravelly voice and yet a very short, thin man.

"Who are you?" Jack repeated.

"We work for the boss, and we're to take you to see her." the large man said. "Come on." he said again, grabbing Jack's arm while the smaller man yanked Faith up by her good arm.

"Hello, love." he said with an almost toothless grin. "If you weren't an alien..." he trailed off, winking and licking his lips.

"But she is." the larger man reminded. "Come on, Stu, we gotta get them up stairs."

"Maybe later, eh, E.T?" the man named Stu said in a voice that made Faith shudder in disgust.

Stepping out into the hall, Jack looked around and caught sight of a door at the far end.

"When I say to, run." he whispered into Faith's ear before being jerked along. 

Stu walked ahead holding Faith by the arm and headed down the hall. Jack waited until the came to an intersection and stomped on the other man's foot, elbowed him in the face and knocked his head into the wall before jumping Stu.

"Run!" he yelled as he struggled with the smaller man who was proving to be much stronger than Jack would have thought.

Faith did as she was told, and took off running, stopping only when she saw a gun on the passed out man. Quickly grabbing it, she took off as fast as she could as Jack yelled at her again.

Faith ran down the hall, not seeing any doors as she did so, just the one at the end of the hall. Her head was pounding and she felt as though she were going to be sick, but she kept running.

Finally, she reached the door and opened it and found no one standing outside. She found that rather odd, but she kept going. A patch of woods was only about fifty feet from her, and she ran full speed towards it. 

With only a few feet to go, something tackled her to the ground. Twisting around, she founda weevil standing above her, snarling. She scooched back and her hand hit something. Picking it up, she swung when the weevil came at her, and could hear a cracking noise as the weevil fell.

Getting back onto her feet, she ran into the woods. After running for a bit, she could make out the faint sound of cars zooming past. A road! Her heart soared, she just had to get someone to stop for her so she could call Ianto and the others. She made it to the road and started waving her arms to flag a passing car, she cursed as many just flew by, not even noticing her. Finally a police car came along and pulled over.

"Something wrong, miss?" the P.C. asked as he rolled down his window.

"Do you have a mobile?" Faith asked as she leaned down.

"Mobile?" the man said. "Have you broken down somewhere?"

"Do you have a mobile?" she screamed. 

"Yes." he said as he fumbled to get it from the seat next to him. "Someone I can call?"

Faith gave him the number, seeing as how he refused to hand it over to the seemingly mad woman.

"I know that number." he said, looking up at her. "This has something to do with bloody Torchwood, doesn't it?"

"Yes, please just call, get Ianto." she said pleadingly.

"All right, all right." he said. "Get in and I'll call." he said as he dialled the number. "I'm Andy by the way." he said as Faith got in.

"Faith." she muttered.

"Good to..." he began. "Ianto, this is Andy." he began. "I've got a young woman here, says her name is Faith..." he stopped. "No, no sign of him."

"Jack's still inside." Faith said, taking the phone from Andy. "Ianto, Jack's still inside, I don't know what's going on, but you need to get here fast."

"We're on our way." Ianto said. 

"I don't know any address." she said, wanting to burst into tears.

"Tosh has been trying to track you using your pendant, but has had no luck 'til now." he said. "Something was blocking it. Okay, she's got it." he said. "Stay with Andy until we get there."

"Hurry." Faith said. "I don't know what they're going to do to Jack."

"We're on our way now." Ianto said as she could hear car doors slamming and Owen muttering something in the background. "Are you all right?"

"I'm scared." she said. "I just want this to be over."

* * *

**Notes: Weevils and zombies and henchmen, oh my! I'm gonna try to add Andy a bit more, I think he's a funny character but doesn't appear much. Hopefully I can do him justice!**


	17. Chapter 17

Faith kept looking into the side mirror, straight ahead, off to the side, anywhere she might see that distinctive black SUV drive up. She was fidgeting with arm rest of the police car where she sat with P.C. Andy. He who didn't seem to have a last name, she noticed.

"So, are you a new member?" Andy asked conversationally.

"What?" she asked, looking over at him. "No, I'm friends with a couple of the people who work there."

"Gwen?" he asked.

"No, not Gwen." sheshook her head. "Ianto and Tosh."

"Oh, that's why you were wanting me to call him." Andy said, nodding. "So, you and Jack are in trouble together?" he asked. "Because of Torchwood?"

"No, not because of Torchwood." Faith said. "Because of my originality." she told him. "Although, Torchwood is why I'm here." she mumbled. "Well, not why I'm on Earth. It's why I'm in Cardiff." she continued.

"Oh, I see." Andy said, wondering if those head injuries were affecting her mind. 

"If you know about them, then I'm sure you've seen some odd things." Faith said.  

"Yes." he nodded.

"Then why are you looking at me like I'm a madman?" she asked.

"I've come to realise that no matter how many odd things I see, I'm still surprised when a new one comes along." he answered.

"There they are."  Faith said, opening her door.

"Faith." Ianto said as he ran to meet her. "Are you okay?" he asked as he hugged her.

"I'm fine." she said. "Come on, it's this way." she said turning to lead them to Jack.

"You tell us where to go." Owen said.  "You're staying here with Andy."

"Why?" she asked.

"Because they want you, you escaped and now you're going to stay clear of them." he answered in a way that brokered no arguments.  "Tell us where to go."

Faith gave them the directions back and gave them the general layout from what she was able to make out as she ran away.

"Right." Owen said.  "Andy, you look after her. Don't let her go anywhere and don't let anything happen to her."

"You have my word." Andy said, as usual willing to help Torchwood out when he could.

"Be careful." Faith said as they headed into the woods.

"Come on." Andy said, moving her back towards the car.  "I've got a thermos of tea, you could use a cup I'm sure."

"Yeah." she said as she glanced over her shoulder to watch the others head off.

"So, you and Ianto?" Andy asked when they were back in the car, handing her a cup of tea.

"Not exactly." she said as she kept glancing back to the woods.

"Oh." he said, pouring himself a cup.  "How long have you known them?"

"Little over a month." she answered, slowly sipping the tea.  

"Come on, look at me, not the woods." Andy said, waving his hand in front of her.  "Try to keep your mind off it."

"How do you propose I do that?" she asked impatiently.  "They've gone into some creepy woods to get to some nasty little building where I was taken after being attacked, twice, and where they still have Jack."

"Chat." he responded.  

"Please, just let me worry." she said.  

"Bloody Torchwood." Andy muttered as he looked past Faith to the large man standing outside the car.

"What?" Faith asked as she turned to follow his gaze.  The man took a rock and smashed out the window.

Andy started the engine only to have another man fire a shot into the engine compartment.  

"Come on." Andy said as he opened the door and jumped out, Faith following close behind.  He stopped at the SUV and tried to open the door, only to find that Owen had locked it behind him.  "Damn Torchwood." he said as one of the men came over and grabbed him by the throat and lifted him off the ground.

"Let go." Faith said as she remembered the gun she'd lifted off the passed out guard back inside.  When he didn't do as she said, she fired, aiming for his shoulder, shooting him instead in the throat.  With a groan and the sound of blood gurgling, he fell to the ground.

"Run." Andy choked as he got up.

Faith tried to as Andy said, but was knocked to the ground by the other man.  Instinctively, she raised the gun once more and shot without aiming at all.  With a scream of pain, and a long list of curses, he fell to the ground holding the knee that had been struck by the bullet.

"Come on." Andy said as he helped her to her feet.  They set off at a run in the opposite direction of where the others had gone.

"Where are we going?" Faith asked, gasping for breath. 

"I don't know." he answered as he continued to run, dragging her along behind him.  "Looks like there's a house up ahead." he pointed to a small,  dilapidated building.

Running inside, Andy found anything he could to block the door.  Faith sat down on a dusty bench, rubbing her throbbing shoulder.  She had such a headache, she wanted to just curl up into a ball and cry.

"Okay." Andy said as he moved a dresser in front of the door.  "Let's just sit here and be very quiet."

Faith just nodded, on the verge of tears.

"Oh, please don't start crying." Andy said.  "I hate when women cry." he added, unsure of what to do if she did in fact cry.

"I won't." Faith said as she infact did begin to cry.

"Oh god." he groaned. "What am I supposed to do now?" he asked as he patted her on the shoulder, unsure of if he was doing any good at all.

"Nothing." she answered.  "I just need to cry and get it out of my system." she told him.

"Good." he said as he moved away and went to peek out the windows.  He thought he heard something coming from what he assumed used to be a kitchen.  He carefully checked outside the window, but saw nothing.  Turning around, he was face-to-face with the man who Faith had shot.  "Oh hell." he muttered before being knocked out.

"Andy?" Faith quietly called as she got up when she heard him speak. "Did you see something?" 

Her only response was a large angry man popping around the corner.

"Let's see how you like it." he growled as he took out his gun and fired his gun.  

* * *

Owen led the team into what appeared to be the main building.  They'd come across three armed men outside, all  quickly dispatched.

"Ianto, Tosh." he said.  "You two, over there." he indicated where he wanted them and they acknowledged him with nods.  "Gwen, you're with me." he said as he motioned her to move.

As they walked along, Tosh noticed some small disk-like marks on the floor.  Stooping to investigate closer, she realised they were buttons.

"Guys." she said.  "I'd watch where you step."

"Why?" Gwen asked as she walked along, her foot coming to rest on one of those buttons.  The few doors and windows that they saw were quickly covered by metal bars.

"Because I think they might be some sort of boobie-trap." Tosh said as she watched the bars lower.

"Drop your weapons." they heard a man say.  Turning around they found themselves surrounded by at least a dozen men, armed to the teeth.  "Tie their hands." the man said.  The team watched as a weevil and a zombie moved out of the shadows and proceeded to place handcuffs on them.

"Bring them." the man said as he moved along ahead of them, the others each taking hold of the trapped team members.  

After a confusing amoung of turns and elevator rides, none of team realised there was any place for an elevator to take them as the building only seemed to consist of one floor, they came to stand outside a door.  An odd humming noise eminated from the other side and a purplish glow came from under the door.  The man punched a few numbers into a keypad, and the door opened.

"Look, your friends decided to join us." they heard a woman say as they entered.  

They saw Jack chained up to the side of the room.  In the center, a large purple orb seemed to hover in mid-air.  A large group of zombies gathered around it, almost cooing in delight.

"Leave them alone." Jack said.  "They're useless to you."

"I know." she said.  "But, it should give my men more time to track down that lovely little friend of yours." she added with a malevolent smile.

"Who are you?" Gwen asked.

"Let's wait until young Faith gets here, that way I need only do the introductions once." the woman answered.

"Got her!" a voice called.

"Brilliant." the woman said as she turned to see the man hobble in, dragging behind him a bloodied and whimpering Faith.  "Drop her here." she said indicating a spot.  "Well now, seeing as how we're all here, I think it's time for introductions." she smiled.  "My name is Imogen Hallis.  I think some of you knew my husband, Norman."

"That psychotic old coot?" Owen asked. 

"The one who was determined to use aliens as servants?" Tosh asked.

"He is not psychotic, and his plans were brilliant." Imogen said, glaring at them.

"Was you mean." Ianto put in.  "He's been dead for a year now."

"That's what you think." Imogen said.  "What we wanted you to think." she added.  She moved to the corner of the room and opened a door.  "Bring him in." she called.  

Two men wheeled out a man, or what may have passed as a man.  His skin had an eerie gray-green color to it.  Some areas were peeling away to reveal muscle and bone beneath.  His head slumped forward, small patches of hair hanging loose, and they could hear a moaning noise coming from him.  The smell was what got them the most.  A mixture of rotting flesh and formaldehyde.

"Hello, darling." Imogen said as she crouched down next to his chair.  "And how are we today, my love?" she asked as she ran her hand over his decaying cheek.  "Don't worry, I'm going to make it all better." she told him before standing up.  "And you're going to help." she said, looking to Faith and Jack.

* * *

**Notes:  I'm glad you're all happy about Andy popping up.  He should get more airtime on the show, but alas... I've got my next storyline playing along on the little tv screen of my mind.  Anywho, hope you enjoy!!**


	18. Chapter 18

"What have you done?" Jack asked as he watched the scene unfold before him.

"I've kept my promise to my husband." Imogen said as she turned to face him. "I told him that I'd never let him go. And, I haven't" she added as she looked lovingly to her husband.

"He's a zombie." Owen said. "You haven't really kept him alive."

"Alive enough." Imogen said. "I just needed a strong alien life form and a good source of life." she explained. "I knew about your precious captain, but he's not exactly alien." she looked to Faith and smiled. "But you, my dear, you are't exactly human."

"That orb?" Gwen asked as she watched the zombies hover around it.

"It was given to me." Imogen answered. "An anniversary gift from my sweet Norman." she said. "I needed a way to get the girl here, and they're hardly the type to complain about hard work."

"Hardly the type to complain period." Tosh said. "They can't speak."

"Beautiful isn't it?" Imogen gloated.

"And the weevils?" Jack asked.

"Just a few we had left over who seemed only too willing to continue to help us." Imogen smiled. "Such sweet creatures." she said as she petted one of them.

"So, what are you planning on doing now?" Jack asked. "I can't die, so that isn't going to help."

"No, Faith will die, to give her life force to my Norman." Imogen answered matter-of-factly. "You will be kept around, Jack, for him to feed off when he is in need of a, how shall I put it, pick me up."

"What about the rest of us?" Ianto asked.

"You'll be dealt with." she shrugged. "I think you'd be a good supply of meat for my zombie babies." She looked to Faith and began smiling again. "Did you think that when you escaped that little prison, no one would notice?"

"I knew someone would." Faith said through clenched teeth, her knee causing excruciating pain.

"Ah, but did you know there's a price on that pretty little head of yours?" Imogen asked as she knelt down next to her. "A lot of bounty hunters are looking for you." she looked to the others. "Did she tell you how exactly she got free?"

No one answered. Faith hadn't said much at all about where she came from or how she came to be in Cardiff. Ianto only knew the small amount she'd told him. That she and a few others had been 'quarentined' but had escaped.

"No?" Imogen asked. "Shouldn't keep secrets from your friends, you know." she said as she took Faith's chin her hand and looked at the girl. "You were put away with your family. Mother, brother, uncle and a niece." she said. "But your daddy came back for you. In a species known for feeding off others, using them, you did have quite a protective streak for those you love."

"How do you know all this?" Faith asked, trying not to think back to that time.

"I've got a good source of information." Imogen asnwered as she stood up. "Do you know what became of your family? The last of your kind?"

"No." she whispered.

"All dead." Imogen said gleefully. "They were all caught and executed." she informed the girl. "So sad. I could have used them."

"You won't get away with any of this." Gwen said.

"No need to fear for me." Imogen responded. "My informant will also work as a clean-up man for me." she said. "He has many uses."

"Who is this informant?" Ianto asked.

"All I'll say, is that you all know him." she answered. "Not you of course, Faith, before your time." She turned to the armed men and nodded towards the handcuffed group. "Take them to the cells." she ordered. "It's almost time for my Norman to wake up."

"Come along." a man said as he grabbed Owen by the arm as the other men grabbed the others, leaving Jack chained up and Faith laying on the floor, bleeding and in pain.

Andy woke up, head pounding and cursing Torchwood still. He stumbled to his feet and called for Faith. No answer. Damn. He walked back into the room he'd left her in and found the gun she'd used earlier lying on the ground. He picked it up and stuffed in his pocket and left the ramshackle house.

Walking back the way they'd come, he stopped at the car, momentarily thinking of calling for backup but decided against it. If Torchwood were involved, it was probably well beyond the police's understanding and ability. Looking over at the SUV, he saw the man who'd been shot through the throat and decided to see if he had anything that might come in handy. And he did. A keycard and a gun. Taking both, Andy set off the way Owen and the others had gone.

As he came out of the otherside of the thicket, he could see a compound of sorts. He walked along carefully, but feeling rather confident that the others had taken care of anyone who might be lurking around outside. He made his way to what appeared to be the main building and slipped in quietly.

"Do you think they'll keep us 'round once the old man is awake?" he heard someone ask.

"I'm kinda hopin' they won't." another voice answered. "Bit odd working for some old sod who was dead when you first started the job."

"True." the first voice said with a chuckle.

Andy tucked himself into a niche and waited until the men disappeared down the hall and rounded a corner. Slowly and quietly coming out from his hiding spot, he crept down the hall. A row of doors broke up the cynderblock wall. Each had a small window concealed by a sliding metal door. Slowly opening one to look in, he caught sight of Ianto pacing back and forth. There was no lock on the door, just an electronic lock on the wall by it.

"Would I get that lucky?" he muttered as he fished out the keycard he'd swiped from the dead man. He had to stifle a triumphant laugh as the red light blinked and turned green and the door hissed open. "Ianto?" he whispered.

"Andy?" Ianto said as he slowly approached the door. "How'd you unlock the door?"

"Keycard." he answered smiling as he held up the item in question.

"Come on, open the others." Ianto said as he cautiously walked out and followed Andy as he unlocked the other doors.

"Oh, I'm so glad to see you." Gwen said as she threw her arms around Andy's neck.

"Glad to see you, too." he said, returning the hug.

"Now that we've got the little reunion out of the way." Ianto said.

"Yes, perhaps we can do something important, like get Jack and Faith away from that zombie-loving freak." Owen added.

"Sorry." Andy said. "Lead the way."

Owen looked at him, ready to tell him to go back, but decided against it. He had after all saved their bacon. "Fine then." he said, turning to head back the opposite way the guards had led them.

"Come along, Norman dear." Imogen said as she rolled him over and stopped him next to Faith. "Look, young, fresh alien life." she whispered into his ear. "And him." she added, pointed to Jack. "He'll keep you going forever."

"And what about you?" Jack asked.

"What about me?" Imogen asked.

"You won't live forever." he pointed out. "What's he going to do when you die?"

"We'll just have to find a new source." she answered casually.

"Not that easy and you know it." he said. "Not a lot of people like Faith and I out there." he pointed out. "I'd even venture a guess to say we're both one of a kind."

"We'll figure something out." she replied.

"Why would he want to live forever?" Jack asked.

"You need to ask that?" Imogen scoffed. "You of all people should know why."

"I didn't go out and look for immortality." he said, shaking his head. "It was a mistake and I'll pay for it forever."

"A mistake to live forever?" she asked as though the idea was absurd. "To continue to live and see new wonders all the time?"

"To live and love, to lose those you love." Jack corrected her. "I'd rather not do that."

"I'm sure you find ways to cope." she said.

"How do you cope with falling in love, getting married, having children and then watching your wife and children grow old, wither and die?" Jack asked.

Faith just stared back and forth between the two. If she had to guess, at first she'd have said he was just trying to buy time, to stall Imogen. But there was something in his voice, the tears that seemed to be welling up, that told her otherwise.

"You've experienced this?" Imogen asked doubtfully.

"Twice." Jack answered. "It gets to the point that you finally hope you never love anyone ever again." he said. "You find reasons not to."

"Sounds as though you are too weak to handle the gift bestowed upon you." Imogen said.

"The only way that would not get to you is if you don't have a heart." Jack said. "And, considering all you two are going through to keep him alive, I'm thinking that's not the case with you."

"Well, we won't have to worry about children, we're far beyond that." Imogen said, trying to sound confident.

"But you still have no way to keep yourself alive." Jack reminded her.

"You can't use Jack?" Faith asked as she tried to ignore the stench coming from Norman.

"No, it'll take too much just to keep him around, not enough of me to around." Jack answered. "She knows that, too."

"So, Norman will be brought back and kept alive, only to watch you wither away and die and there will be nothing he can do." Faith said.

"We'll find a way around that." Imogen said, growing impatient. "You've stalled me long enough." she said as she slid a long knife from her sleeve. "Time to drink, dear." she said as she took a vial from her pocket. "Sit still, this won't hurt for long." she said as she grabbed Faith by the hair and forced her head back, knife poised.

"Stop!" Owen called as they burst into the room.

Imogen stopped, blinking in surprise at the sudden intrusion.

"Get them!" she called to the zombies who had not left the warm glow of the hovering orb.

Andy didn't know what to do when he saw the zombies moving towards them, so he fired his gun. The bullet passed through one zombie, catching it in the upper chest and hit the orb right in the center.

A loud howling noise sounded in the room, and everyone dropped to the floor as they covered their ears trying to block it out.

Faith curled up and clamped her hands over her ears, shutting her eyes as tight as she could as though it would help. Her elbow hit something cool and she opened her eyes to find the knife Imogen had been holding laying next to her. Quickly uncovering her ears, she picked up the blade and tucked it under her.

The zombie wailed in apparent pain, the weevils howling in response to eachother's discomfort. Suddenly, the sound died away and everyone looked up to see the zombies laying on the floor motionless.

"No!" Imogen cried as she stood up and went to her husband's side. Norman slumped in the wheelchair, head hanging to one side. "You killed him!" she screamed as she looked at Andy. "You killed him." she repeated in a hiss as she stalked towards him. Faith pulled the knife out from under her and slashed at Imogen's leg, catching her in the back of the knee and dragged the knife up.

Ianto and Owen rushed over to Faith, the others ran to Jack to unchain him.

"We need to get you back, now." Owen said as he looked at her wounded knee. "Come on, help me get her up." he said to Ianto who quickly helped him.

"Good work, Andy." Jack said as he rubbed his wrists.

"All in a day's work, right?" Andy said, slightly blushing at the praise he was getting from them. "To pay me back, you can give me a lift back so I can arrange someone to come get my car." he said.

"Consider it done." Jack said with a nod of thanks.

"I've arrange with a friend of mine for you to have some physical therapy." Owen said as he finished with the bandages. "You're lucky, it could have been a hell of a lot worse."

"I'm in pain." Faith said. "I don't feel overly lucky, other than the fact that psychotic woman didn't slit my throat, that is." she said.

"Hey, you'll get some time off work." Owen pointed out.

"I like work." Faith said. "And, I just started, so that's not really such a good thing."

"Ah, but you can look at it this way." Jack said as he walked up. "Ianto will have to be your personal servant for a while."

"Not really a plus in my book." Faith said. "Unless..." she trailed off. "Nevermind." she added with a smile.

"I'm gonna go grab those pain killers." Owen said, rolling his eyes as he walked off.

"What's going to happen to that woman?" Faith asked after Owen had left.

"I've got some place I'll be keeping her." Jack said. "She won't be coming after you again, don't worry."

"I won't tell anyone any of what you said." Faith told him as she looked him straight in the eye. "Thank you for all of that."

"You don't need to thank me." he said.

"You did that to stall her, to buy some time." she argued. "You revealed some very painful stuff."

"Well, it was worth it." Jack said, shifting rather uncomfortably. "I'm glad you're all right."

"So am I." she smiled. "Thank you. I will try to think of a way to repay you."

"I'll give it some thought." he said. "Maybe I can come up with something." he added as he watched Ianto walk over.

"Got the pills Owen wants you to take." Ianto said as he handed her the bottle. "What were you two chatting about?" he asked.

"I was just thanking Jack for trying to keep me calm." Faith said.

"I was trying to fend off her advances." Jack said. "She has some very interesting ways of wanting to repay that kindness."

"In your dreams." she said with a laugh.

"And I thought that little pendant of yours was supposed to block the mind reading." Jack said. "Have to get them to look that over again."

"I hate to break this up." Ianto said as he watched them both. "But I think it's time for the patient to go home and rest."

"Oh, home." Faith said dramatically. "It's been so long." she added. "I wonder if it'll be the same as I left it."

"A bit tidier." Ianto mumbled as he wheeled her off to the elevator.

"I'm not that messy." she argued.

"No, not at all." he said as he spun her chair around and backed her in.

"Have fun, kids." Jack called with a smile and a wave as he watched the doors close, sending a wink Faith's way.

**Notes: Okay, that little adventure is done and over with...now I just need to decide the next one...the circus or the bounty hunter...if you have any prefrences, just let me know...Hope you enjoy this chapter, and thanks for reading!!**


	19. Chapter 19

"I hate you!" Denny Snow yelled at his mother as he stormed out of the house. He'd had it. He'd come home to find her rifling through his room, looking for the lockbox he kept his money in. She'd spent all of hers, and she was out of vodka, so now she was after his.

Denny walked along, hands tucked in the pockets of his oversized jeans. A family walked by quickly, a little girl no more than ten leading them along.

"Come on, Daddy." she pleaded. "I want to see the animals." she said.

"You'd never guess we were just at that circus only the other day." a man, presumably the girl's father, or at least one of them, said as he walked behind the girl, holding hands with another man.

"It keeps her quiet." the other man said. "If we have to hear circus music and be pestered by those insipid clowns, it's a small price to pay."

Denny watched as they walked past, a pang of jealousy hitting him. Not a typical family, but still better than his. As he walked on, he could hear the music coming from a group of brightly colored tents, a man on a loud speaker, and he could smell the animals.

He'd not been to a circus...well, he couldn't think if he'd ever been to a circus. Not like his mother was ever sober enough, and he'd never known who is father was. He watched the little girl take the hand of both men and frowned. Show offs, he thought.

He stopped at the main entrance to the event and looked in at the people milling around. He shrugged and made his way in, looking around at the attractions as he went along.

Denny watched some trapeze artists from the doorway of a tent and quickly grew bored. Checking out a few other of the "attractions". he began to wonder what all the fuss was about. Stupid clowns, stupid children running along with their stupid parents all acting stupid and happy.

"This sucks." he said as he kicked a rock.

"I used to say that all the time." a young woman's voice said from the side of a tent set far back near the trailers.

"Excuse me?" Denny asked as he peeked around the corner and found a girl sitting on a wooden box, smoking a cigarette. She was close to his own age, fifteen or so.

"I used to say everthing sucked too." she said as she flicked some ashes onto the ground. "But then I started working here."

"You work here?" Denny asked. "Your folks own this circus or something?" he asked.

"No, I left my parents." the girls said. "I'm Christie, by the way." she said.

"Denny." he offered. "You left them. As in, you ran away?" he asked.

"Yes." she answered simply.

"You ran away to join the circus?" he said, laughing.

"It's much better here than it ever was back home." Christie said huffily.

"Sorry." Denny said.

"You here with your parents?" she asked.

"No, my mum's at home trying to figure out where her next bottle's coming from." Denny said.

"So, are you running away?" Christie asked as she threw her cigarette down and ground it out with the toe of her leather boot.

"Maybe." Denny shrugged.

"If you do, you can join us." she said with a smile. "It's always fun here."

"So, you think I should run away to join the circus, just like you did?" Denny asked with a laugh. "Sounds like a little kid's dream."

"No one to boss you about, you get your own money, people can come from far and wide just to see you if you've got any sort of talent." Christie said. "It's wonderful."

"Do people come to see you?" Denny asked.

"Yes." she nodded. "I can do this." she said as she stood up and locked both arms behind her head.

"That's why people come to see you?" he scoffed.

"Just wait." she said. She then bent backwards, letting her arms wrap around her legs. Her head then popped through and she winked at him.

"Oh, that's disgusting." he said as he backed up a few steps.

"People pay good money to see that." Christie said as she quickly stood back up, everything where it should be.

"Well, I'm not a human slinky." he said. "No use for me here then."

"We always have use for people." she said, smiling as she walked over to him. "Come meet Claude, he can explain everything much better than I." she held out her hand.

"Claude?" he asked as he thought about the offer. "Will it take long?" he asked.

"No." she shook her head. "Not long at all. Come on, I don't bite." she said with a light laugh.

"What the hell." Denny said as he took the offered hand.

"I don't bite, but Claude might." she whispered with a giggle as she led Denny off.

As they disappeared into a trailer behind all of the main attraction tents, Denny had no idea that it would be the last time anyone would ever see him again.

* * *

"So, will you look into it?" Andy asked as he took a sip of tea.

"You want Torchwood to investigate unhappy teens running off to the circus?" Gwen asked skeptically.

"It's not a normal circus." Andy argued. "There's something creepy about it."

"It's your fear of clowns." Gwen said with a laugh. "It's clouding your judgement."

"It's not a fear of clowns." he argued. "I just find them annoying. Big difference."

"Fine, you're annoyed by them." she agreed, only to humor him. "But, come on Andy." she said. "You're telling me that a circus is taking kids?"

"You've been with Torchwood how long?" he asked. "One of you is living with an alien turned human." he reminded her. "I helped you save that alien and your boss from some psycho who was trying to bring her zombie husband back to life completely."

"True." she said.

"With the help of an orb that brough zombies to help her do all of that." he added.

"Yes, I know." she said with a sigh. "I was there."

"Exactly." he said. "So why is this evil circus thing such a stretch for you?" he asked.

"Okay, fine." she said, holding up her hands in surrender. "I'll talk to Jack and see if he minds if I check it out."

"Thank you." Andy said as he sat back. "Four kids have gone missing since that thing has been in town. I don't care if they were all teens from bad homes, it's not right."

"I know." Gwen said. "Look, I've got to go." she said as she threw some money down to pay for her tea. "I'll have a chat with Jack and get back to you."

"Sounds good." Andy nodded. "I'm right about this." he said. "Mark my words, I'm right."

"I hope you're not." Gwen said as she stood up. "I'm sure you don't want to be right about it, either."

"I don't want to be." he agreed. "But my gut is telling me that I am."

* * *

**Notes: The start of this chapter is a bit short, but it gets things going. I'm writing this in between periods in my hockey game, so I'm short on time :) GO MINNESOTA WILD!! Anywho, enjoy!!**


	20. Chapter 20

"And Denny Snow is the last one." Gwen said as she passed out pieces of paper to the others. "He was last seen two days ago, talking to a girl."

"And his mother is sure he's not just blowing off steam, staying with some friend?" Jack asked as he looked over the sheet of paper.

"Yes." Gwen nodded as she sat down.

"So, we've got three teens who had flaming rows with parents and have taken off?" Owen asked.

"And who've all gone missing since that circus came into town." Gwen pointed out, knowing that Owen was thinking they were just getting back at their respective parents by staying away.

"What do we know about the guy who runs this thing?" Tosh asked.

"Claude Bergen, age fifty-two." Gwen answered. "No record of any kind. Not even a ticket for littering."

"Okay." Jack said. "Ianto, Gwen, go check it out." he added as he stood up. "Go talk to Mr.Bergen and see what he has to say for himself."

"Thank you, Jack." Gwen said.

"Don't thank me." he said "Three kids are missing and this circus keeps popping up. There's bound to be some sort of link."

"We'll find it." Ianto said. "Are you ready to go to the circus, Miss Cooper?" he asked.

"Yes." she said. "I just hope we don't come across any clowns." she shuddered. "They're creepy."

"It's a circus." Ianto pointed out. "I have a feeling we'll see one or two." he said. "But, I'll protect you, worry not."

"Just wear a large flower that squirts water." Owen said as he picked up his papers and moved towards the door. "They hate when their own tricks are used against them."

"Or a bottle of seltzer water." Tosh added with a smile.

"Thanks guys." Gwen said. "Very helpful."

"We try." Owen said as he walked out, Tosh trailing after him.

"Thank you for agreeing to see us, Mr.Bergen." Gwen said as she stood near the door of the narrow trailer.

"Not at all, Miss Cooper." Bergen said with a smile. "I've heard about those children." he said as he shook his head. "I hate to imagine what their families are going through."

Gwen and Ianto looked the man over as he poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down behind a small, cluttered desk. Although the info Gwen had gotten said the man was fifty-two, she'd have guessed maybe his late thirties at first sight. Jet black hair, slicked back a bit, tall and very lean. His goatee brought Victorian villains to Ianto's mind.

"Do you remember seeing any of them?" Ianto asked.

"No." Bergen answered. "Of course, I have a lot to do to run this circus effectively." he said. "I have to run from place to place, speak to innumerable people, field a few, very few, complaints that might arise." he sighed. "I'm afraid that I see so many people in the course of the day, I can't keep track of them all."

"Someone said they saw Denny Snow talking to a girl." Gwen said. "A contortionist is what I've been told."

"Yes, Christie." Bergen nodded with a smile. "My daughter. She's an unbelievable performer." he said proudly. "She's quite popular."

"I'm sure." Ianto said as he looked at a poster with Christie bent in a most unnatural position. "Can we talk to her?" he asked.

"Christie?" Bergen asked, seeming surprised at the request. "Why?"

"To ask if she's seen any of these young people." Gwen answered. "Denny was seen with her at least."

"I don't want my daughter bothered by this anymore." Bergen said as he got to his feet. "The police asked her some questions, and she didn't recognise any of the photos they showed her."

"Well, people are always a bit nervous when talking to a police officer." Gwen said with a smile. "Perhaps she's remembered something..."

"I'm sorry, but I'm quite busy." Bergen said. "The cannon is broken and I need to get someone in to take a look." he strode towards the door. "If there is nothing further."

"A chat with your daughter is all we ask." Gwen said.

"And I've told you, I don't want Christie any more upset than she already is." Bergen repeated slowly. "If you'll please excuse me." he said opening the door and gesturing for Ianto and Gwen to take their leave.

"Mr.Bergen." Gwen said.

"Good day, Miss Cooper." he said. "Mr.Jones." he added, trying to be polite, but failing rather miserably.

With that, Gwen and Ianto took their leave and headed back to the hub.

"He's hiding something." Gwen said as they sat at a red light.

"Rather obvious, that." Ianto said as he watched an old woman cross in front of them. "Need to figure out another way to get some information."

"Tosh, Owen, you're going to the circus." Jack said as he walked out of his office, Gwen and Ianto having filled him in on their visit to Bergen.

"Excuse me?" Owen said.

"It sounds like fun." Tosh said cautiosly. "But, I don't think we're going just for the fun of it."

"No, Bergen's hiding something, you two are going to go as vistors and nose around a bit." Jack said.

"Why can't they go back?" Owen asked as he nodded his head in Gwen and Ianto's direction.

"We've already been once today." Ianto pointed out. "He knows us and a lot of people saw us come and go."

"And probably a few were listening at the trailer door." Gwen added.

"Oh, come on Owen." Tosh said. "Unless you're afraid of the clowns too." she teased.

"I'm not afraid of them." Owen said. "I just find them really annoying."

"So far not one scary clown." Tosh said as she and Owen walked along, keeping an eye out for anything out of the ordinary.

"I've already told you, I'm not afraid of them." Owen said. "They bug me."

"Yes, of course." she replied, smiling.

A mime stepped in front of them and climbed an imaginary rope, and when that only gained him a frosy glare from Owen, and no attention from Tosh, began to pretend he was trapped in a box.

"Keep it up." Owen said. "And you'll be clawing your way out of a real box, mate." he warned.

Stepping back in shock, the mime turned and headed off to irk another couple walking along.

"Good way to not draw attention." Tosh remarked.

"He's a mime, he's heard worse." Owen replied. "So what are we looking for?"

"Anything that looks odd." she answered as she looked around.

"Anything that looks odd at a circus." Owen muttered. "For our next adventure, let's go to a farm and look for smelly things."

"You know I'm not thrilled with this either." she said. "Alun and I were going to go out."

"You still seeing that boring geek?" Owen asked, slighly annoyed at the mention of the man's name.

"Just stop it, Owen." Tosh ordered as she ducked into a nearby tent.

"Women." he muttered as he followed.

Christie Bergen was in the center of the tent, all eyes fixed on her as she performed, amazing and repulsing the crowd at the same time.

"Oh, that is just not right." Tosh muttered.

"I dated a contortionist once." Owen commented. "She was amazing in..."

"You can stop there." Tosh said as she turned to leave.

"Her work." Owen said. "Really, Tosh, such a dirty mind you have."

They began heading further back as they walked along. Not many people, just performers taking breaks, smoking, drinking, telling jokes. They saw a teenaged girl talking to a boy off to the left, back near some trailers. The boy and girl started to move off, even further back.

"Owen." Tosh said, nudging him in the ribs, pointing to the pair.

"Let's follow, shall we?" he said as he led the way.

"You know, I think I should probably just get going." they could hear the girl say.

"Oh, come on, let's just go have a quick word with Claude." the boy said.

"Running away to join the circus." the girl laughed.

"What's wrong with that?" the boy asked, turning quickly and looking at her.

"Nothing." the girl said. "I've heard jokes about people doing it, been told I should but..."

"Then take some of those people's advice." the boy said as he began to walk again.

The girl just followed in silence as they reached the door to a long white trailer.

"Claude, I want you to meet Nicola." the boy said as he opened the door and motioned the girl in.

"Come on." Owen said as he rushed forward.

"Can you see anything?" Tosh whispered as she tried to look in through one of the windows.

"No, damn it." Owen hissed as he grabbed a crate and stood on it.

Suddenly a bright white light burst through the windows, knocking Owen back in surprise.

"Owen." Tosh said as she rushed to help him up.

"Come on." he said as he got to his feet and ran for the door. He slammed his body into it, but the door wouldn't budge. A muffled scream could be heard on the other side, a quick plea from the frightened girl and then silence as the lights dimmed and the door handle began to turn.

"Owen." Tosh said as she grabbed him by the arm and led him off to the side of the trailer.

"I appreciate that, Luke." they could hear a man, Bergen they assumed, say. "I do hope you lot bring me more like that." he chuckled.

"I will." the boy, Luke, said. "I promise."

"Good boy." Bergen said. "Now, run along."

"Yes, sir." they heard the boy say before the sound of someone running off could be heard, followed by the sound of the door closing.

"What happened to her?" Tosh whispered.

"I don't know." Owen said. "But, I think we should have the others here before we go nosing about too much."

**Notes: Okay, so this little story will be the last under the Inv.Infl. heading...after the circus story, I'll have to start a new one...this lil bugger has been stretched to the limits...Hope you enjoy!!**


	21. Chapter 21

"You didn't say anything to Bergen?" Jack asked as the team got some stuff together before heading back to the circus grounds.

"No." Owen said.

"That poor girl." Tosh said. "I wonder what happened to her and the others."

"We'll find out soon enough." Jack said as he slid his arms into his greatcoat. "And we'll make sure it doesn't happen to anyone else." he added. "We all set?" he asked.

"Yes." everyone muttered as they made their way outside.

"We did some background checks." Ianto said as he settled into the backseat. "A circus has popped up a few times in what some stories." he added. "Claude Bergen has also gone by the name, Douglas Frey, Richard Hatter and Wendell Holmes."

"How long has he been around?" Tosh asked.

"Wendell Holmes goes back the furthest." he answered as he looked at the piece of paper he held. "Back as far as 1813."

"Almost two hundred years?" Owen asked. "So what, he needs the teenagers to keep him young or something?"

"Don't know." Jack said as he took a corner quickly and knocked everyone around.

"Richard Hatter shows up first around 1873 and Douglas Frey around 1920." Ianto went on as he grabbed hold of the handle on the seat in front of him. "Claude Bergen showed up in 1942."

"Doug didn't last too long." Gwen said.

"No, he suposedly died in a fire that killed his wife and daughter." Ianto said.

"Please tell me his daughter's name wasn't..." Gwen started.

"Christine Rose Frey." Ianto finished for her,nodding slowly.

"So we've got a man and his daughter, thought to have been dead for the last almost ninety years, sucking the life out of kids." Owen muttered.

"By why these teens?" Gwen asked.

"Let's ask Mr.Bergen." Jack said as he pulled the SUV up outside the entrance to the circus. Looking around, they all noticed that the place seemed to be totally empty.

"I wonder where everyone went." Tosh said, looking around.

"Don't know." Jack said, "Let's hope they all went home. We don't want anyone else getting hurt."

"Good evening." a clown in a garish red and gold outfit came up, bowing to Gwen and Tosh. "Perhaps the ladies would like a boquet of flowers?" he said and with the wave of his hand, a bunch of paper flowers appeared.

"Excuse us." Owen said, moving to push past the clown.

"I can't let you pass." the clown said, moving to block Owen's way.

"Sure you can." Jack said. "There are five of us and only one of you." he pointed out with a smile.

"More than that." the clown said, smiling, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth.

The group watched as about ten more clowns, all different shapes, sizes and colors, came out from different tents and moved towards them.

"I think we've been sucked into 'It'." Owen groaned as he watched the demented clowns approach.

"It what?" Tosh asked as she drew her gun along with the others.

"The movie." he answered.

"Never heard of it." she said, raising her gun.

"We need to have a movie night." Owen said.

"Come now, boys and girls." the first clown said, beckoning to them slowly. "No need for those silly things, put them down and we can have fun together."

"Stop, or we'll shoot." Jack said, raising his gun, finger poised over the trigger.

"Now, now." another clown said. "We can have fun." he repeated the first. "Come ladies, you don't want to shoot us."

"Stop!" Jack said once more before firing, soon followed by the others. "Come on." he called as he ran past the fallen clowns.

The others ran after him quickly. As Ianto went to run by, something grabbed his ankle and we was brought down. As he fell, he looked up to see the other clowns closing in on him.

"Get away!" Jack called.

"Arrghh!" Ianto howled as one of them sank it's razor-like teeth into his thigh.

With a shot to the head, the offending clown fell away and Jack quickly got Ianto to his feet and handed him off to Owen who had come back to help.

"Get him out of here." Jack said as he was grabbed and dragged down.

"Jack!" Gwen called, moving to run back, but Tosh grabbed her arm and dragged her along in the direction Owen indicated.

"We can't just leave him out there." Gwen said as they huddled in an empty trailer.

"He can't die, remember?" Owen said as he bent to look at Ianto's leg. "This is ugly." he said.

"Nice way to reassure the patient." Ianto groaned as Owen ripped a strip of fabric from his shirt and tied it around Ianto's leg.

"Better than lying and saying it wasn't too bad." Owen replied. "I must have dropped my medical pack out there."

"What do we do now?" Gwen asked, pulling back the dingey curtain that hung over the small window overlooking the front of the circus ground.

"Wait." Owen said with a shrug.

"That's your idea?" she asked as she turned to look at him. "Wait?"

"Do you have a better idea?" he asked. "Jack's out there, God only knows what they're doing to him and when he'll be able to rejoin us, Ianto's been used as a chew toy, and we don't know what else is out there."

A banging came from the door and they all stood perfectly still, staring at the door.

"What if it's one of them?" Tosh asked as she sat next to Ianto, holding his hand, trying to distract him from the pain.

"Guns at the ready." Owen said, drawing his own, standing in front of the others.

"Is someone going to let me in?" they all sighed in relief hearing Jack's voice.

Peeking out the small window, they checked to make sure it was actually him before opening the door.

"Jack, are you all right?" Gwen asked as she threw her arms around his neck, almost knocking him back out the door.

"Nothing I won't get over." he said as he moved Gwen back a bit. "How bad is it?" he asked as he moved away from Gwen and over to Ianto, kneeling down and squeezing his hand.

"It's not good, but I don't have my medical pack." Owen said.

"How'd you get pass them?" Ianto asked.

"They left." Jack said.

"Just left?" Tosh asked in surprise.

"Yeah. One minute they were chomping on me, the next they were slinking away." he said, not taking his eyes from Ianto.

"Well, Captain, what's our next move?" Owen asked.

"We get to Bergen's trailer." he answered. "He's the one behind all this, right?"

"In theory." Tosh said.

"Okay then." Jack said as he stood up. "Toshiko, you stay here with Ianto, we'll head for Bergen."

"Okay." Tosh muttered, nodding.

"You ready?" he asked Owen and Gwen.

"Not really." Owen said. "But, then again I don't know how to mentally prepare for flesh eating clowns and almost two hundred year old men who suck the life from teenagers."

"Unfortunately, we don't have time to figure that out." Jack said as he moved to the door. "Lock the door behind us, Toshiko."

"Okay." she said again.

"Let's go." Jack said as he swung the door open and hopped down out of the trailer, Gwen and Owen right behind him. After hearing the door lock behind them, they set off where Gwen said to go to reach Bergen's trailer.

* * *

**Notes: I'm gonna have to end this chapter here instead of finishing off the s/l...can't think of an ending at the moment, so I hope you enjoy this bit...hopefully the rest will come to me soon, although any ideas on your part(s) are greatly appreciated :)**


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes: Okay, last chapter for this one at last. Took me forever to figure out how to wrap things up, so I took the liberty of using a suggestion someone made in a review. Hope you enjoy! And thanks for any reviews.**

* * *

"You two hang back a bit." Jack whispered as they crept along, guns drawn, towards the trailer that Gwen assured him was Bergen's.

"Don't have to tell me twice." Owen said as he peeled off to the left.

The group stopped in their tracks when the door to the tailer burst open and a teenage boy stumbled out.

"Help." he begged as he fell down the stairs and landed with a thud on the ground.

"Jack?" Gwen asked.

"I'll check on him." Jack said as he made his way to the boy.

"Help." the boy begged again.

"It's okay." Jack said, holding out his hand to the teenager. "Come on, grab my hand."

The boy put a trembling hand in Jack's outstretched one and slowly got to his feet. Putting an arm around the boy's waist, Jack helped him over to Owen who promptly looked him over.

"What's your name?" Jack asked.

"Kerry Harrow." the boy muttered, gasping in pain as Owen continued his quick exam.

"He's one of them." Gwen said, a little hope could be heard in her voice.

"Is there anyone else in there?" Jack asked.

"Just that creep with the moustache." Kerry said through gritted teeth.

"Come on, Gwen." Jack said. "Owen, get him back to the other trailer and keep him with Ianto and Toshiko."

"Right." Owen said, helping the boy to his feet again. "Easy there."

Jack and Gwen watched and made sure Owen and Kerry got back to the trailer safely before turning back to Bergen's.

"I've got a bad feeling about this." Gwen muttered.

"Just now?" Jack asked as he moved forward slowly again.

As they approached the trailer, a gust of wind blew, knocking them both to the ground. The trailer rattled and seemed to lift up.

"Jack?" Gwen called as she shielded her eyes from the blowing dust.

"Stay down." he called back, covering her as the wind picked up.

With the wind blowing harder and harder, there was a blinding light, and intense heat radiating from the trailer. In a flash, all was calm and the trailer was gone.

"What happened?" Gwen asked as she lay on the ground, looking at the spot where the trailer had just been.

"I don't know." Jack answered, not sure if he wanted to know the answer.

"Jack?" Tosh's voice called out. "Gwen?"

"Over here." Jack replied.

"What happened?" Tosh asked as she ran over to the prone pair.

"It vanished." Jack said.

"Vanished?" Tosh asked in disbelief.

"A lot of noise, heat and light, and then nothing." Gwen added.

"What about those kids?" Tosh asked.

"I don't know." Jack said, getting to his feet.

"But their families..." Tosh said.

"I know, but we don't have anything to tell them." Jack said as he turned to look at her. "I wish we did."

"We need to get back to the hub." Owen called from the door of the trailer. "Ianto's leg needs looking after."

"Come on." Jack said, taking both Tosh and Gwen by the elbow and leading them away. Each looking back over their shoulder as they went.

"I wish we had something to tell them." Gwen said as they passed a poster of Christine, grimacing as she looked at it.

"So do I." Jack said as he opened the door and helped Ianto and Kerry Harrow in.

* * *

"Another one has surfaced." Andy was saying to Gwen as they stood outside the Millenium Center. "A Kelly Jacobs."

"Good." Gwen said with a smile.

"Denny Snow is still missing though." he added as he tucked his hands into his pockets.

"The others have come back." Gwen said hopefully. "Maybe he will, too."

"I hope so." Andy said. "I really do."

"It'd be nice if their families cared a little more though." Gwen said, thinking of how Kerry Harrow's mother and father were completely indifferent to their son being found.

"Kelly Jacobs seemed to care." Andy reassured her. "Mum and dad are thinking of giving things another go."

"That's good, I suppose." Gwen admitted.

"If you'd needed help with the Bergen bloke, you could have phoned me." Andy said.

"I've already told you, Jack isn't looking for any new Torchwood members." Gwen reminded him.

"Faith seems to do a lot with you." he said sounding rather annoyed. "The other night she was..."

"The other night?" Gwen asked. "You two an item now?" she teased.

"None of your business." he replied, blushing a bit. "Damn." he muttered as his phone rang. "I've got to get going." he said as he looked to see who it was.

"Okay." Gwen said. "Thanks for keeping me up to date." she added with a smile. "Hopefully Denny Snow will show back up as well."

"Let's hope." Andy said.

"I do." she said.

"If you need any help with any of your spooky goings on, just let me know." he said as he left.

"Jack's not looking to hire." Gwen called after him, laughing.

"Never know when you'll need fresh blood." Andy replied before getting in his car and leaving.

Gwen just smiled to herself as she turned and headed back into the hub, hoping that they wouldn't be needing fresh blood any time soon.

"You never know." she muttered to herself as she entered and made her way to Jack's office to update him on what Andy had found out..


End file.
